The under-23 men’s national football team beat Kuwait, 2-1, at the CS Asset Minato Soccer Stadium on Tuesday for the country’s first men’s football victory in the Asian Games since the Tokyo 1958 edition.
The match was deadlocked until stoppage time when substitute midfielder Jax Peña was fouled inside the box by Saleh Almehtab in the 90th minute for a penalty.
Forward Andres Aldeguer calmly converted from the spot in the 92nd minute to seal the historic which was reminiscent of his great grandfather George Aldeguer’s winning goal against Japan in 1958.
Philippine Football Federation president John Anthony Gutierrez hailed the historic victory as a defining moment for the federation’s investment in its youth pipeline.
‘This is exactly why the Federation has poured so much into empowering our youth teams,’ Gutierrez said.
‘This Asian Games squad didn’t just work to put Philippine men’s football back on this stage after nearly seven decades, it worked to plant a winning mentality on Asia’s grandest stage, one that we know will spill over to the next generation of players coming up through our program,’ he added.
Head coach Garrath McPherson’s wards drew first blood in the 19th minute on forward Santi Rublico’s conversion in front of the goal off a chest receive from Michael Baldisimo’s right-wing cross.
But Kuwait leveled in the 66th minute after defender Scott Woods inadvertently turned a right-wing cross from Jasem Alenezi into his own net.
The Philippines created several dangerous chances with defender Christian Rontini twice testing goalkeeper Abdulredha Shehab with headers off long throws from Antoine Ortega in the first half, John Lucero’s inswinging corner kick striking the woodwork in the 62nd minute and two dangerous shots from Peña near the end of the Group C match.
Goalkeeper Nic Guimaraes and the defense of Rosquillo, Rontini, Ortega and Woods withstood Kuwaiti attempts, including efforts from Bander Almutairi, Talal Alqaisi, Omar Almatar and Montaser Al-Abdulsalam.
‘I feel very happy for the players, the staff and the supporters both here in Japan and at their homes across the globe,’ Mcpherson said. ‘I feel honored to be in a position to work with the players and staff we have in the U23 program, we continue to grow and learn together.’