The last time the Philippines reached the SEA Games semi-finals was in 1991 on home soil.
They did it again 34 years later. The Philippines were in a tough Group C, but they defeated Myanmar 2-0 and defending champions Indonesia 1-0 to advance. Coach Garrath McPherson asserted that this was not a matter of luck or chance. His players showed high spirits and confidence, along with disciplined play, a willingness to control possession and a readiness to compete physically.
Vietnam and the Philippines have never faced each other in the SEA Games semi-finals. However, in their most recent encounter, they lost 1-2 to Vietnam in the semi-finals of the ASEAN U23 Championship in Indonesia last July.
At that time, the Philippines only had six players playing abroad, including in Thailand, Japan and the U.S. By the SEA Games, that number had doubled.
These changes were not unexpected by coach Kim Sang-sik and the players.
“We’ve prepared well tactically, physically and mentally, so we’re ready to have a good game,” coach Kim said at a press conference before the game.
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