PFF president John Gutierrez | PFF photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Philippine Football Federation (PFF) President John Gutierrez is calling on the Filipino community in Bangkok to rally behind the Philippine Men’s National Football Team (PMNFT) as they prepare to face Thailand in the second leg of the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024 semifinals on December 30 at the Rajamangala National Stadium.
In a statement shared by the PFF, Gutierrez called on the at least 10,000 Filipinos living in Bangkok and the over 40,000 across Thailand to support the national team, which made history with a 2-1 victory over Thailand in the first semifinal leg at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila on Friday.
“To our kababayans in Bangkok, this is our best chance to achieve one of the biggest milestones in Philippine football,” Gutierrez said.
READ: PMNFT shocks Thailand in historic 2-1 victory
“Our men’s team is on the verge of making the ASEAN finals, and they need the full support of our compatriots in Thailand. We hope to see you on the 30th,” he added.
Gutierrez also extended his congratulations to the PMNFT, commending the team unity and the players’ commitment to representing the Philippines.
READ: Philippines to host Thailand in AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup semifinals
“The reason our men won this historic game is because of their teamwork and their willingness to step up and give their all for the flag and country.”
READ: PH beats Indonesia, reaches AFF Cup semifinals after 6 years
PMNFT VS THAILAND
The PMNFT faced Thailand without three key players: team captain Amani Aguinaldo, primary goalkeeper Patrick Deyto, and veteran Fil-German Patrick Reichelt, who recently announced their retirement.
“The Federation, the management, the coaches believe in each and every one of them,” Gutierrez continued.
“Yes, we are all happy for this win, and we congratulate our national team for achieving this historic victory. But deep in our hearts, we know they were prepared for this and are capable of facing and defeating Thailand,” he said.
The win ended the country’s 52-year losing skid against Thailand in international football.
Fred Gonzales, PFF National Teams Director, praised the resilience of the squad and their determination throughout the match.
“The resilience of this group is truly remarkable,” Gonzales said.
“I am incredibly happy for the boys because they worked tirelessly throughout the game. All credit goes to them.”
CRUCIAL MATCH
Meanwhile, head coach Albert Capellas expressed pride in the team’s unwavering belief in themselves, despite the odds stacked against them.
“We never lost hope because this team is filled with fighters. They fight so much for this country,” Capellas said.
Despite the historic win, Capellas quickly refocused the team for the upcoming crucial match in Bangkok.
“It’s only one game,” Capellas said. “I know it’s a very important game, special for everyone—our country, the fans, and the team. But in our mindset, we’ve only done half the job. We have it right here, and we don’t want to stop.”
To recall, the Philippines endured a shaky year after the sudden departure of former head coach Tom Saintfiet a few days before their 2024 Merdeka Cup campaign in Malaysia, to coach Mali.
In addition, the Philippines was on the losing end in each of their international campaign including the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the King’s Cup in Thailand, and Merdeka Cup.
It was until they vied in the AFF Mitsubishi Cup where everyone had modest expectations. They logged three crucial draws in Group B and ended the group stage with an exclamation point, beating Indonesia, 1-0, to advance to the semifinals.