Philippines defeats Maldives 4-1 in Asian Cup qualifiers

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Men’s National Football Team (PMNFT) started its AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying campaign with an impressive 4-1 victory over Maldives on March 25. The match took place at the New Clark City Stadium in Capas, Tarlac. Jefferson Tabinas scored the first goal in the sixth minute, assisted by his brother Paul Tabinas from a corner kick taken by Randy Schneider. Bjorn Kristensen added another goal in the 19th minute, following a solid pass from Schneider. At halftime, the score was 2-0. The second half saw Maldives make a comeback with a goal from Ali Fasir in the 62nd minute. However, Schneider scored again for the Philippines in the 77th minute. Sandro Reyes capped the night with a goal in the 92nd minute. This victory was significant for Spanish coach Albert Capellas, marking his first win in the Asian Cup qualifiers. The PMNFT currently leads Group A, alongside Tajikistan, who also won their match against Timor-Leste 1-0 on the same day. The Philippines will play against Tajikistan next on June 10, with the venue still to be confirmed.