By: Icko de Guzman
Skipper Manny Ott couldn’t help but beam with pride after the Philippine Men’s National Football Team showed grit and resolve to overturn a halftime deficit and defeat Timor-Leste, 3–1, in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers on Wednesday night at the New Clark City Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.
The Filipinos found themselves on the back foot after conceding a goal just before the break — a frustrating first half that, according to Ott, sparked an emotional response in the dressing room.
“The first half didn’t go so well for us, and we had a heated talk in the locker room,” Ott admitted.
“But good character from the team, it shows you what this team is made of. Everybody knows we can play better. We’re happy with the victory, and the second half was definitely a good bounce back from the guys.”
Fueled by that halftime wake-up call, the PMNFT came alive in the second half. Jefferson Tabinas, Bjorn Kristensen, and Jarvey Gayoso each found the back of the net to complete the comeback in front of a roaring crowd of more than 8,000 fans — their largest home turnout of the year.
“The guys are happy,” Ott said.
“The atmosphere in the stadium was great. We’re still a bit bummed with the first-half performance, but at the end, we’re happy with the victory.”
The victory not only ended the year on a high note for the PMNFT but also kept their hopes for Asian Cup qualification alive.
Still, Ott reminded that the job is far from done, with crucial fixtures against the Maldives and Tajikistan looming large.
“All the victories are really important now to set up an endgame against Tajikistan,” he said.
“That’s where we’re at, and we have to keep our focus for the next camp.”
Captain Manny Ott lauded the Philippines’ fighting spirit after their come-from-behind win over Timor-Leste! 🇵🇭⚽#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/PUi8CA9m3E
📹 @ickodeg /Tiebreaker Times#ACQ2027 #LabanPilipinas pic.twitter.com/fhW1XZrBNc
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) October 14, 2025
