Philippine press calls semi-final match against U.23 Vietnam 'historic'

At 4:00 p.m. today (July 25), U.23 Vietnam will face U.23 Philippines in the first semi-final of the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 Championship. Vietnam is a 'familiar face' in the semi-finals of the tournament, but for the Philippines, this is the first time.

Historical achievements of Philippine youth football

The Philippine Daily Inquirer wrote : “With an impressive performance in the group stage, the young team under the leadership of coach Garrath McPherson has left a strong impression in the hearts of Philippine football fans.”

The Philippines U.23 finished the group stage in second place in Group A, with 6 points after two victories over Malaysia U.23 and Brunei U.23. However, to officially enter the semi-finals, they had to wait for the results of the remaining matches between Vietnam and Cambodia as well as Thailand and Myanmar. Luck smiled on the team when Vietnam beat Cambodia 2-1 and Thailand drew with Myanmar, thereby helping the Philippines qualify for the semi-finals as the second-placed team with the best record.

U.23 Philippines squad

PHOTO: PHILIPPINES Football Federation

Coach McPherson and his students made a miracle when they reached the semi-finals for the first time in this tournament, an unprecedented achievement for the Philippines U23 men's football team.

The Philippine Star newspaper quoted the President of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), Mr. John Gutierrez, who did not hesitate to praise the young team: "Our U.23 team's advancement to the semi-finals is a historic moment for Philippine football. Their incredible journey shows what a team with the SAMA-SAMA spirit can achieve. We are excited and determined to make their dream come true. We are extremely proud."

He also stressed that the achievement of winning 2 victories in the group stage is "the country's best result ever at this level", affirming the remarkable maturity of the Philippines U.23 team.

Semi-final U.23 Vietnam - U.23 Philippines: No room for mistakes

Historic semi-final match with Vietnam

The opponent of U.23 Philippines in the semi-final will be U.23 Vietnam - a strong team with a lot of experience in regional tournaments. The Philippine press assessed that this match is expected to be very tense and exciting, because U.23 Vietnam is a team that has advanced many times to international tournaments, while U.23 Philippines is facing a golden opportunity to create a shock.

On the afternoon of July 24, at a press conference before the semi-final match, coach Garrath McPherson of the U.23 Philippines also expressed his pride in what his team had achieved. He shared that although initially not highly appreciated, the U.23 Philippines played very unitedly and improved with each match. He said that the team's advancement to the semi-finals was a great achievement and the players were very proud to receive enthusiastic support from their home country.

Coach Garrath McPherson of U.23 Philippines

PHOTO: Dong Nguyen Khang

When coach Kim Sang-sik praised some Filipino players for their good physique and formidable aerial ability, coach McPherson said they had international experience, good passing ability and very sharp tactical thinking. He was also confident that the U.23 Philippines squad had even quality and did not depend on any individual.

Watch the full 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 Football Championship Mandiri Cup™ on FPT Play, visit http://fptplay.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bao-chi-philippines-goi-tran-ban-ket-dau-u23-viet-nam-la-lich-su-185250725120435791.htm