Leddel lifts PH U23 past Tajikistan in AFC Asian Cup qualifiers

MANILA, September 9 ------ The Philippine Men’s Under-23 National Football Team secured a crucial win to keep their hopes alive in the 2026 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers being held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

The Nationals clinched its first victory in the tournament against host Tajikistan, 1-0, at the Republican Central Stadium early Sunday morning, Philippine time. Both sides had opportunities to score in the first half, with the hosts dominating possession. Despite a stronger showing, Tajikistan failed to break the deadlock, entering the halftime scoreless. It was a tense start to the second half, with yellow cards being issued to Philippines' Gavin Muens and Tajikistan's Olimzoda Fathullo for physical play in the 54th minute.

At the 70th minute mark, Noah Leddel put the Philippines ahead after connecting on a corner kick from team captain Sandro Reyes. The Tajikistan side tried to level the score late in the match with six minutes in added time, but Philippine goalkeeper Nicholas Guimaraes came up with crucial saves to keep the slate clean. "I think overall it was a tough game, it was a scrappy game like both sides were very intense. But I think the boys dug in and showed really a good heart to keep a clean sheet against a really good team," Leddel, who received Player of the Match honors, said in a post-match interview. "[We're] just happy to come away with the win and get the three points," he added.

The Philippines and Tajikistan are both tied at second place with 3 points each, while Syria is at the top of the pack with 6 points. The Nationals are in a must-win situation in their last assignment, with only the 11 group winners and four best-ranked runners-up booking a ticket to the 2026 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. The Philippines will face Nepal on tonight at 9 p.m.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com