PH ends decades-long semis drought in SEA Games men’s football

CHONBURI, Thailand – It took more than three decades, but the Philippines is back in the final four of the Southeast Asian Games men’s football tournament.

The Nationals returned to the semifinals for the first time since 1991 after a pulsating 1-0 win over Indonesia at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Monday, December 8.

Otu Banatao scored just before the first half ended as the Philippines, which earned a 2-0 victory over Myanmar three days prior, completed a sweep of Group C to earn an outright spot in the knockout stage.

It was a complete turnaround for the Philippines after it failed to notch a win in the 2023 edition held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where it recorded one draw and three losses.

That run included a 0-3 beating from Indonesia, but the Filipinos have flipped the script as they became the first team to advance to the semifinals.

The 1991 edition, which the Philippines hosted, marked the only other time it reached the SEA Games final four, with the team falling short of a medal after a 0-2 loss to Singapore in the bronze-medal match.

Still chasing a breakthrough medal, the Nationals can accomplish the feat with one more triumph.

The Philippines enjoys a week-long break before it shoots for a spot in the gold-medal match against an opponent that has yet to be determined on December 15. – Rappler.com