The Daily Tribune
Syrians shock Filipinos
The Philippines national under-23 football team lost their opening match in the AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers against Syria with a score of 1-2, putting their chances of qualifying in jeopardy.
Mahmoud Al Aswad drew first blood for the Syrians in the 61st minute, but captain Sandro Reyes managed to equalize for the Philippines in the 78th minute.
Syria quickly regained the lead in the 80th minute with a goal from Mohammad Al Mustafa, securing the victory.
Despite having marquee players, the Nationals had a slow start and are currently at the bottom of Group K.
The Philippines must now win their next two games against host Tajikistan and Nepal by a significant margin to have a chance of qualifying for the tournament in Saudi Arabia.
This match also marked the debut of the Philippines' new Spanish head coach, Michael Martinez Alvarez.
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The Philippine Men's Under-23 National Football Team achieved a 1-0 victory against host Tajikistan in the 2026 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
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