The Philippine Men’s National Team survived against Tajikistan in their Asian Cup Qualifier match last June 10 when they scored a draw to end the match.
Kristensen’s Two Goals Help Philippines Salvage a Draw
The PMNFT earned a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Tajikistan in their second match of the third round of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, held at the New Clark City Stadium in Tarlac.
In front of a passionate crowd of 10,854 fans, the home side found themselves in a physical, emotionally charged match where momentum swung back and forth.
Forward Bjørn Kristensen was the standout performer for the Philippines, delivering 2 crucial goals that kept the squad atop Group A. He opened the scoring in the 28th minute, heading in the rebound from Gerrit Holtmann’s free kick that had bounced off the crossbar. But the joy was short-lived as Tajikistan equalized just two minutes later when a poor clearance from Jefferson Tabinas allowed Mabatshoev Shervoni to fire past Kevin Ray Mendoza.
Before the first half ended, Jesper Nyholm committed a foul inside the penalty box on Ehson Panshanbe, prompting referee Hasan Akrami to award a penalty. Umarbaev Parvizdzhon converted it in the 42nd minute to give Tajikistan a 2-1 lead heading into halftime.
A Heated Matchup
The match was marked by intense physicality, with a staggering 15 yellow cards issued, contributing to an already emotionally heated contest.
Despite falling behind, the Filipinos displayed resolve in the second half, particularly Kristensen, who struck again in the 79th minute. After pressuring the Tajikistan defense, he took advantage of a lapse and fired home the equalizer to the delight of the home crowd.
Kristensen, who now has eight goals in 13 international caps, was candid about the team’s performance post-match. “I feel we should win this game,” he said in a story from Kennedy Caacbay from ABS CBN Sports, adding, “I don’t think we did show up in the first half. We did our best to bounce back, and luckily we got the point.”
Head coach Carles Cuadrat’s side maintained their lead in Group A despite the draw, with four points from two matches and a goal difference of +3. Tajikistan also sits at four points but trails on goal difference with +1.
Holtmann Frustrated by Missed Chances and Officiating
Gerrit Holtmann, who played his first home match for the national team, also expressed frustration after the final whistle, particularly about the officiating.
“I think for the 10,000 (who came), we had to win (since) they came for us today,” Holtmann said from an interview of Lorenzo del Carmen in his story released by Tiebreker Times. “But I can say also what was the referee was doing today, I never saw it in my life. This was really crazy, but we had to win this game.”
The Philippines registered 17 shot attempts throughout the match, far surpassing Tajikistan’s six. Despite the offensive push, especially in the second half, they were unable to find a winning goal. “We had a lot of good chances today, but in the end it’s just a draw, but it feels like a loss,” Holtmann added.
“We have to take aim on Tajikistan in March. Beforehand, we have Timor Leste and Maldives.”
Tuesday’s contest was the eighth meeting between the two sides, and the record now stands at four wins, three draws, and one loss in favor of the Philippines.
Qualification Stakes and Emotions Intensify
The draw means the Philippines remain unbeaten in their group campaign, with their next matches against Timor Leste set for October.
Tajikistan, meanwhile, will host the Maldives in Dushanbe during the same window. Only the top team in Group A will advance directly to the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, so each result carries significant weight.
Despite not securing the full three points, the result kept the Filipinos’ qualification hopes very much alive. Kristensen’s consistency in front of goal and the team’s resilience remain bright spots as they aim to build momentum in the next fixtures.
Holtmann looked ahead with determination, eager for a rematch against Tajikistan. “I’m happy we have a return game in Tajikistan because… I don’t want to say they’re a rival, but it was hot air today,” he said.
“Spicy, a little bit also. This is what I love, what I like, and I’m happy we have the return game.”
