In the end, a combination of their best performance yet and favorable results from other matches allowed the Philippine Men’s Under-23 National Team to advance to the semifinals of the 2025 ASEAN U-23 Mandiri Cup in Indonesia.
The Philippines finished the group stage as the best second-placed team, earning a spot in the final four.
They will face Vietnam this Friday at 5:00 PM (Manila time) at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, with a place in next Tuesday’s final on the line.
Due to tournament rules, the Philippines’ 2-0 win over fourth-placed Brunei was not counted in the second-placers’ ranking. That meant their opening-day upset of Malaysia provided the crucial three points needed to edge out other second-placed teams like Myanmar and Cambodia.
Coach Garrath McPherson and his squad had to wait anxiously to see whether Myanmar or Cambodia would pull off surprise wins on Tuesday evening to eliminate them from semifinal contention. But the regional powerhouses stood firm.
Thailand held Myanmar to a tense 0-0 draw in Group C, while Vietnam edged Cambodia, 2-1, in Group B — confirming the Philippines’ place in the semifinals.
This marks the first time a Philippine team has reached the semifinals of this regional tournament, which was first held in 2005. It also represents the country’s highest-ever point total — six points — in the group stage of the competition.
With this milestone, the U-23 team now has a shot at delivering the country’s second AFF title, following the Philippine Women’s National Team’s historic triumph in the 2022 AFF Women’s Championship at Rizal Memorial Stadium.
If the Philippines defeats Vietnam, they will face either host Indonesia or Thailand in the final. A loss, meanwhile, would relegate them to the bronze medal match next Monday, where they would take on the loser of the Indonesia–Thailand semifinal.
