By MARK REY MONTEJO
The Philippine men’s football team fell short once again in its bid to reach the 2027 AFC Asian Cup after being held to a 1-1 draw by host Tajikistan in the qualifiers at the Hisor Central Stadium Tuesday night, March 31.
What appeared to be a promising night turner nightmarish for the PH side after Sheriddin Boboev fired the equalizer at the 40-minute mark.
The Filipinos still tried – many times – to go for the winning goal but was denied each time they made a move much to their dismay.
For a while, they looked headed to a big win when debutant Raphael Obermair delivered the first goal at the 19th minute of the first half.
But as the game progressed, cracks in their defense showed up and the Tajiks seized the opportunity leading to Boboey’s heroics.
This marked the second time that the Filipino and the Tajik booters ended in a draw – this time though it was very painful for the PH side as it allowed the Tajiks to secure the Group A lead and the coveted slot.
Prior to the match, the Carles Cuadra-mentored squad and Uzbekistan were tied in their bracket 13 points apiece with four wins and one draw.
The last time the PH made it to the AFC Asian Cup was in 2019 – thanks to former skipper Stephan Schrock.
The quadrennial joust is set from Jan. 5 to Feb. 7 next year in Saudi Arabia with Qatar going for a three-peat.
As they came up short anew, the Nationals turn their attention to the 2026 ASEAN Championship in July.
