Philippine booters miss bus to AFC Asian Cup

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine men’s football team came tantalizingly close to qualifying for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup but a 1-1 draw with Tajikistan in Tuesday’s away outing ultimately dashed the dream.

Needing a victory in the final game of the Qualifiers to advance as Group A winner, the Filipinos went all out and drew first blood on a low strike by debuting Fil-German Raphael Obermair on the 19th minute, wresting the head-to-head edge in their dispute for the lone AC ticket at stake in the group.

However, the Tajiks, who only needed a draw, fought back and drew level on Sheriddin Boboev’s deflected shot that went into the back of the Philippine net at the 40th minute, regaining the head-to-head advantage to the delight of the capacity crowd at Hisor Stadium.

The protagonists tried in vain to break the deadlock and the final result proved catastrophic for the Pinoy booters in the final round of the Qualifiers.

The Philippines and Tajikistan registered identical 14 points on four wins and two draws in the home-and-away hostilities but it was the Tajiks who emerged on top after tiebreak, owing to superior goal difference, +11 against +10.

The Tajiks, quarterfinalists in the 2023 edition, thus joined fellow group winners Lebanon, Singapore, Thailand, Syria and Vietnam to next year’s showpiece set Jan. 7 to Feb. 5 in Saudi Arabia.

The Filipinos, meanwhile, will have to wait for the next cycle to return to the Asian tilt after previously making their first and only appearance so far in 2019 under the old “Azkals” banner.