PH football team ends 52-year Thailand jinx with semifinal win

The Philippine men's national football team secured a historic 2-1 victory against Thailand in the first leg of the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup semifinals, ending a 52-year losing streak against them.

Sandro Reyes opened the scoring for the Philippines in the 21st minute, and Enrique Linares scored the winning goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Despite losing goalkeeper Patrick Deyto to injury and captain Amani Aguinaldo to suspension, the team, anchored by debuting goalkeeper Quincy Kammeraad, emerged victorious.

A draw will be enough for the Philippines to defeat the defending champion War Elephants and secure the country's biggest achievement in the history of the great Southeast Asian competition.

The Philippines holds a 2-1 aggregate lead heading into the second leg on December 30 in Bangkok.

Midfielder Zico Bailey emphasized the importance of the upcoming second leg, stating that the team must approach it with the right mentality, treating it as another final.

Coach Albert Capellas is confident that the Philippines can hold its ground against Thailand and secure a spot in the final for the first time in this competition.