Linares The Hero As Philippines Stun Thailand After 52 Years

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 (Bernama) — The Philippines took a significant step toward their first-ever ASEAN Cup final with a dramatic 2-1 victory over defending champions Thailand in the first-leg semifinal of the  ASEAN Cup 2024 at Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila, tonight.

Dressed in blue and roared on by a passionate home crowd, Albert Capellas’ side delivered a spirited performance, breaking the deadlock in the 21st minute through Sandro Reyes’ stunning left-footed strike from outside the penalty box.

Thailand, coached by Masatada Ishii, responded just before halftime when a quick counterattack saw Suphanan Bureerat slot home the equaliser in the 45th minute after connecting with Patrik Gustavsson’s precise pass.

With the match seemingly headed for a draw, Enrique Linares emerged as the hero for The Azkals, scoring a dramatic winner in the 95th minute. His diving header, set up by Paul Tabinas’ flick-on from Zico Bailey’s free-kick, sent the home crowd into raptures.

The victory was historic, marking the Philippines’ first win over Thailand in 52 years. Their last triumph came in June 1972, with a narrow 1-0 victory.

This result provides a crucial morale boost for the Philippines as they prepare for the second-leg clash at Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok on Monday.

The Philippines are now eyeing their first-ever ASEAN Cup final appearance. Previously, their best performance was a semifinal berth in the 2018 edition, where they fell 4-2 on aggregate to Vietnam.

-- BERNAMA