PH bows to Indonesia in AFF U-19

THE Philippine men’s Under-19 national football team yielded to host Indonesia, 1-4, in the 2018 Asean Football Federation (AFF) U-19 Youth Championship on Thursday at the Gelora Delta Stadium in Sidoarjo.

The Teen Azkals held a one- goal lead for most of the match but had a meltdown in the last eight minutes.

With its second straight loss, the Reiji Hirata-mentored team dropped to No. 4 in Group A with three points on a lone win.

Filipino junior booters have had a hot start in the game, as UAAP juniors MVP Chester Gio Pabualan buried a free kick in the 33rd minute.

Pabualan and company retained the lead until the Indonesians staged a late comeback.

Saddil Ramdani equalized in the 82nd before Firza Andika and Todd Ferre’s strikes sandwiched Saddil’s second goal to notch the come-frombehind win for the host nation.

The PH youth squad fights for tournament life against No. 2 Thailand tonight at 8 p.m. at the same venue.

Meanwhile, the Philippine women’s national football team springs back to action when it takes on the dangerous Vietnam at 8 p.m. at the Gelora Swijiraya Stadium in Palembang.

The Buda Bautista- coached Malditas, who stand at No. 3 in Group B with three points in two matches, are looking to follow up their 3-0 beating of Singapore last Tuesday.

Bautista’s wards, however, will have their hands full versus the leading Golden Girls, who scored 16 goals and kept a clean sheet in two wins. Last Thursday, the Vietnamese team demolished the Singaporeans, 10-0.