The Philippines fell brief towards Syria, 2-1, to open its marketing campaign within the AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers on Wednesday in Tajikistan.
After a goalless first half, Mahmoud Al-Aswad scored for Syria within the 63rd minute. Sandro Reyes equalized for the Philippines within the 78th minute, however Mohammad Al-Mustafa rapidly responded two minutes later to place Syria again in entrance and ultimately seal the win.
The Philippines will face host nation Tajikistan subsequent on Saturday.
The highest crew from Group Ok, which incorporates the Philippines, Tajikistan, Syria, and Nepal, will straight qualify for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup. The 4 best-ranked runners-up from the 11 teams can even earn a spot within the stated match.
—JKC, GMA Built-in Information
