The Philippines will need a miracle against Malaysia as the two teams face off in the ASEAN Championship at Kuala Lumpur Stadium on Saturday.

Kickoff starts at 9 p.m. (Manila time), with the Nationals needing to score six goals or more and hope Thailand defeats Myanmar on the same day to finish at least second in Group B and advance to the semifinals.

The Philippines is coming off a heartbreaking 0-1 defeat to Thailand last Tuesday at the New Clark City Stadium in Capas, Tarlac, its second loss in three matches.

Head coach Carles Cuadrat said the loss to the Thais left them with no room for error as they head into the Malaysian capital as huge underdogs.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the first goal. In that kind of game, the team that scores first has a lot of options to take the game,” Cuadrat said.

“With one point, then you can go to Malaysia to repeat what happened in the last Hyundai Cup, when it became a must-win match and the team got the result.”

Cuadrat said they need to maximize their chances in front of goal after dominating possession with 68 percent against Thailand.

“At the end, it’s not about possession, it’s about the chances that you create and the weapons you have to hurt the opponent. We have a very young team, and this is a very good opportunity for the players to learn, improve, and show how competitive they are,” Cuadrat said.

Anything less than a rout of the Malaysians would bring the Philippines’ ASEAN Championship campaign to an end.

Forward Jarvey Gayoso remains one of the Philippines’ biggest attacking threats after scoring two goals in three matches.

Midfielders John Lucero and Sandro Reyes will be tasked with dictating the tempo, while defenders Daisuke Sato and Santi Rublico will have to hold the fort for the Nationals.

Malaysian interim coach Tan Cheng Hoe said he wants Kuala Lumpur Stadium to become a fortress and hopes the home crowd will give his side an edge.

“As coaches and players, this is the type of atmosphere we want to experience. The supporters provide extra motivation and effectively become our 12th player,” Tan said.

“At the same time, I hope the players do not feel overwhelmed by the pressure because the demands of tomorrow’s match will be very high. We must remain focused from the first whistle until the last.”