The Philippines made history by advancing to the semifinals of the ASEAN U23 Championship for the first time, securing a spot as the best second-placer after a 2-0 win over Brunei.
The Philippine Men’s U23 National Football Team is heading to the semifinals of the ASEAN Under-23 Championship.
The breakthrough came Tuesday night when the Philippines secured one of the tournament’s Best Second-Placer slots in the 2025 ASEAN U23 Mandiri Cup, after a goalless draw between Thailand and Myanmar and Vietnam’s 2-1 win over Cambodia.
This marks the country’s first semifinal appearance since the tournament’s inception in 2005.
The U23 squad clinched the crucial qualification spot with a 2-0 win over Brunei on Monday, finishing the group stage with two victories, including a gritty 1-0 triumph over Malaysia, and a lone loss to host Indonesia.
Against Brunei, the Philippines drew first blood in the 20th minute with wing forward Javier Mariona calmly slotting in a penalty after Jax Peña was fouled inside the box.
Despite Brunei’s efforts to equalize, the Philippines maintained the pressure, and Harry Nuñez sealed the win in the 85th minute with a composed finish from a Mariona cutback.
The milestone achievement is a dramatic shift in fortunes for a program that had long struggled in this tournament.
Since their debut in 2005, when they managed only one win over Timor-Leste, the Philippines had not advanced beyond the group stage, including in their return campaigns in 2019, 2022, and 2023.
Head coach Garrath McPherson credited the team's recent surge to grit, maturity, and resilience developed over the past week, despite having only a short preparation period.
“Momentum is crucial in tournament football, and we’ve successfully ridden the wave of emotions this past 7 days,” McPherson said. “We have achieved all of this with only a one-week training camp leading in. I am proud and happy for the players and staff.”
He also emphasized the importance of giving his young squad exposure on the international stage.
“We’ve consistently rotated our roster to maximize opportunities for players to be seen prior to the U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers and the SEA Games,” McPherson added. “This is the highest-ever points finish for the Philippines in this tournament.”
Now standing between the Philippines and a shot at the final is tournament powerhouse and two-time defending champion Vietnam, whom they will face on Friday, July 25, at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.