Team Philippines displayed a different kind of courage that may have unnerved Timor Leste as they settled for a 2-all draw on Monday evening at the Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Marcel Ivan Arcenal Ouano responded twice on every goal that the Timorese booters sent in, allowing the Filipino booters to pull even at the start of their ASEAN Football Federation Under-23 Youth Championship 2022 campaign.
Philippine coach Stewart Hall said they did not underestimate the Timorese, more so since the PH squad only got together three weeks ago.
“They (Timor Leste) have been together for three months, and we have been together for for three weeks. So they got better match habits than we. They have been playing games, and we haven’t. And on the context of this, I think we showed courage both times,” said Hall.
“The boys fought with great character to come back from two goals down. Timor Leste gave us some problems tonight and Cambodia will give us different problems in our next game,” added Hall.
Timor Leste head coach Fabio Maciel, who formed the squad three months ago, said they were in control for most of the game, but the Filipinos still found openings, which could probably be the result of goalkeeping mistakes.
“We know we deserved to win the game. But we conceded two goals because of our mistakes. And we were more in control of the game,” said Maciel during a livestreamed post-game huddle
Maciel believed that it was a different Filipino squad that they faced, saying the young players that went in the field were good players.
“I saw the faces of these players. They are good players, young and like my team, which is a new generation that we are exposing,” he said.
Mouzinho Barreto De Lima struck first for the Timorese side, firing in a penalty on the sixth minute.
After that, the 21-year-old Ouano, who plays for National University in the UAAP, attacked the net and blasted past Timor Leste goalie Junildo Pereira to equalize in the 44th minute.
The Timorese booters continued to press in the second half and struck in 56th minute when Jaimito Soares picked a loose ball and sent it in past Filipino goalie Quincy Kameraad.
But the Filipinos refused to be discouraged, with Ouano driving home another goal following a mad scramble in the 62nd minute.
Host Cambodia took the lead in Group A with a 6-0 rout of Brunei and will meet the Philippines on Thursday.
