The Philippine national men’s football team believes it has what it takes to compete in the ASEAN Championship following a successful performance in the PFF Tri-Nation Friendlies from 3 to 9 June.
Veteran midfielder Sandro Reyes said the squad’s chemistry is already in sync despite playing only two matches in the friendly tournament at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.
“I think with the profile of players that we have, where they’re coming from, and the kind of coaches we have and the style we want to play, it’s showing that we really want to score as many goals as possible, get into attacking positions, press, and win the ball back near the opponent’s goal,” said Reyes, whose side beat Guam, 5-1, last Wednesday and Myanmar, 5-1, last Tuesday.
“I think it showed again today, and hopefully we can continue to show that in future games.”
The Tri-Nation Friendlies served as part of the country’s preparation for the ASEAN Championship, which runs from 24 July to 26 August.
The Nationals are in Group B along with Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Laos, with the top two teams advancing to the semifinals.
For Sebastian Rasmussen, who scored two goals in the 5-1 victory over Myanmar, getting valuable minutes before the tournament is important to ensure the team stays sharp, especially since it will face Myanmar again in the ASEAN Championship.
The Burmese will be the Filipinos’ first opponent in the biennial competition on 28 July.
“It’s very important. Not everyone normally gets so many minutes, so it’s nice to get on the pitch, get used to playing with each other, build some chemistry, and learn more about one another,” said Rasmussen, hoping to make it to the final of the ASEAN Championship for the first time since joining in the inaugural competition in 1996.
