ASEAN Cup 2026: Determined to Break the Jinx

According to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Kuala Lumpur, speaking at the pre-match press conference on August 7, coach Carles Cuadrat stated that the Philippines have never defeated Malaysia away. The team's most recent victory over the "Malayan Tigers" was at the 1991 SEA Games in Manila. The Spanish strategist said this is an opportunity for the Philippine players to rewrite history, though he admitted Malaysia is a quality team. Regarding the match strategy, Cuadrat said the coaching staff is trying to motivate the players to aim for a positive result and hopes the two teams will deliver an exciting match tomorrow.

Although the Philippines currently rank 135th in the world, one spot higher than Malaysia on the FIFA rankings, Coach Cuadrat still highly rates the host's strength, especially their ability to transition from defense to counterattack and the quality of their attacking players. The 57-year-old manager also believes that possession percentage will not be the decisive factor in the match outcome. The Philippines tend to control possession and actively dictate the game, but against a Malaysia with many quality players, Cuadrat predicts the possession rate between the two teams will be relatively balanced.

One advantage for the Philippines in this clash is that their squad includes several players quite familiar with Malaysian football, including goalkeeper Quincy Kammeraad, who plays for Kuala Lumpur City FC. This is considered very useful information for the coaching staff in devising a game plan for the upcoming match.

As for Kammeraad, the goalkeeper particularly noted Paulo Josue, whom he considers one of the biggest threats in Malaysia's attack. The Kuala Lumpur City goalkeeper also acknowledged that the absence of Malaysia's key player Endrick dos Santos due to injury somewhat reduces the pressure on the Philippines. However, he emphasized that Malaysia still possesses many quality players and the lack of Endrick does not make the away team's task easy.

In Group B of the ASEAN Cup 2026, the Philippines currently sit 4th with 3 points, trailing Thailand at the top with 9 points, followed by Malaysia and Myanmar with 6 points each. The Philippines must win against Malaysia to have any hope of squeezing through the narrow gap to advance to the knockout stage of this year's tournament.

Besides aiming for a good result against Malaysia, for the Philippines, the ASEAN Cup 2026 also holds significant importance in their preparation for the Asian Games (ASIAD) to be held next month. The Philippine squad for this tournament includes 11 players eligible to participate in the men's U23 football event at ASIAD.