For all the strides former minnows the Philippines have made on the regional stage over the past 15 years, Monday provided the opportunity for them to have something substantial to show for their progress.
In contesting the third-place playoff at the ASEAN U-23 Championship, officially known as the ASEAN U-23 Mandiri Cup 2025, the Philippines were a victory away from securing a first podium finish in an ASEAN Football Federation men’s tournament at any level.
This encompassed the exploits of the senior team, who have done admirably well to reach the semifinals in five of the last eight editions of the ASEAN Championship but never had the chance to vie for third place given that tournament’s lack of such a playoff.
But while they once again left everything out on the pitch, the Philippines were ultimately unable to get over the line—succumbing to a 3-1 defeat as it was Thailand instead who finished their campaign on a high.
The spirited display was to be expected from the Philippines based on the endeavor and sense of adventure they had already shown at the tournament. Even getting this far will probably be widely viewed as a commendable achievement.
Yet, although Thailand’s current U-23 side is nowhere near as formidable as previous generations, they still showed the class and panache that has become synonymous with the nation’s style of play.
And it was this clinical edge that ultimately paved the way for them to emerge victorious.