Despite the abrupt departure of head coach Albert Capellas, the Philippine Men’s National Football Team is determined to keep its momentum alive as it faces a tough challenge against Tajikistan in the third round of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers on Tuesday at the New Clark City Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.
Capellas ended his brief but impactful tenure on a high note, steering the squad — still popularly known as the Azkals — to a dominant 4-1 victory over the Maldives last March.
Now, with assistant coach Carles Cuadrat stepping up as interim tactician, the team must quickly adapt to fresh leadership in the face of a formidable opponent ranked 104th in the world.
“We know we’re going to play against a very competitive team,” said Cuadrat, who inherits a roster shaped in part by his predecessor. “They’ve played together for a long time. They reached the quarterfinals of the last AFC Asian Cup with the same core, so their chemistry and understanding of the system are strong.
“But we’re also continuing with the same philosophy and structure,” Cuadrat added. “We believe we can be competitive and get a good result.”
History favors the Philippines in this matchup.
The Philippines hold a solid 4-1-2 all-time record against Tajikistan, including a resounding 3-0 victory in their most recent encounter at the 2024 King’s Cup in Thailand.
That win was punctuated by a goal from Gerrit Holtmann, who is especially excited for this clash as it marks his long-awaited home debut in front of Filipino fans.
“Compared to when we played against Tajikistan in October during the King’s Cup, it will be a completely different squad,” said the 30-year-old forward.
“This will be a completely different game. They have a lot of quality players. But I think we also have a very good team.”
With plenty to prove and a nation rallying behind them, the Filipinos aim not only for a win but to deliver a performance that shows continuity, belief, and heart — hallmarks of the PMNFT’s spirit.
“It’s all about possession and dictating the tempo,” Holtmann added. “We’ll go out there and try to give the fans something to cheer about. We want this to be a night to remember.”
#WATCH: Philippines interim head coach Carles Cuadrat and Gerrit Holtmann share their thoughts on the PMNFT’s crucial clash against Tajikistan tomorrow 🇵🇭⚽
📹 @ickodeg /Tiebreaker Times#LabanPilipinas #AsianCup pic.twitter.com/VrsWvClKnX
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) June 9, 2025
