Phl U15 booters cruise past Aruba

BAKU, Azerbaijan – The Philippine U15 Men’s National Football Team (PMNFT U15) won its fourth game with a 5-2 decision against Aruba in the penultimate match of the 2026 FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival here.

Quito Pascual of the LA Galaxy Academy scored a brace to help the Philippines weather an early scare from the Arubans, fellow United States-based Micah Alva added one to start the second half, and the floodgates opened late in the game with a two from Cavite’s Dan Becera and Barcelona-based wonderkid Sylar Alcantara.

But it was an early scare for PMNFT U15 as Aruba’s athletic winger Tysheron Commijs penetrated the final third for the opening goal in the tenth minute.

Unfazed, the Philippines ended the half strong, as a long kick-in from the back right found a running Pascual on the top of the box as he slotted in a left-booted strike to equalize in the 19th minute.

Alva then opened the first half to take the lead, finding space on the right side of the goal and shooting in front that bounced off an Aruban defender.

Aruba, though, was a pesky opponent as Jaymilliano Herkul found the net open from near the penalty spot to tie the game at two in the 24th.

Pascual helped the Philippines overtake the lead again, again with a left-footed strike from a right-sided kick-in in the 28th minute.

The Philippines was unstoppable since then as Becera pushed his way to the goal in the 32nd minute off Jonas’ Oliverio’s long ball.

Alcantara then completed the Filipino scoring romp, shooting with his left foot in a transition attack off Oliverio’s midfield assist.

For good measure, goalkeeper Jordan Tan put the icing on the cake with a nifty shot on goal from Herkul to stave off an Aruban counter.

“I’m really proud of the teams’ performance. The players worked really hard for this win, and they fully deserved it,” Philippine head coach Roxy Dorlas said.

“We moved the ball around much better and controlled the tempo of the game. The big difference in this game was that we took our chances and scored five goals.”

The win came off two consecutive losses in the classification round Tier D.

After opening the tier with a 2-0 win over Macau on Wednesday afternoon — PMNFT U15’s third win in a row — the Philippines lost the nightcap, 0-3, against Central Asian rival Tajikistan.

The first game against Zimbabwe on Thursday was a heartbreaker as well. PMNFT U15 mounted a 2-0 lead with an early goal by Alcantara off Adrien Peña’s forward pass in the fifth minute, then a second half goal by Becera off a running attack against two defenders in the 22nd minute.

However, Zimbabwe goaled in the 27th and 34th minute via set pieces to tie the game. Their winner came in their very last possession, as team captain Marlon Zuruvi found himself wide open on the right side of the goal off a Filipino clearance of Ngoni Tombo’s strike for the win.

“After the narrow defeat against Zimbabwe earlier in the day, they recovered well, stayed motivated, and prepared themselves for this game,” Dorlas added.

“I reminded the players that we still have 1 more game left, so we need to stay focused and finish the tournament strong.”

“We next face Andorra, and if we show the same desire, intensity, and commitment as we did today, I’m confident we can finish the competition with another positive result.”

This mixed result sent the Philippines to the finale for 109th place against Andorra, its first and only European opponent in the World Cup at the Hovsan Competition Complex.