The national U-23 team rolled past Timor-Leste, 4-0, Friday, May 6 for a winning start to its campaign in the men’s football competitions of the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.
Christian Rontini scored the opener early in the match before Dennis Chung, Jovin Bedic and Oskari Kekkonen added three in the second half to give the Azkals U-23 the full three points at the Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho.
Coach Norman Fegidero’s squad, however, faces an uphill task going forward with matches against host and defending champion Vietnam, Indonesia and Myanmar.
The Philippines plays Vietnam, which won the gold in the 2019 edition at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, on Sunday at the same venue.
Rontini’s header off Stephan Schrock’s free kick 10 minutes after kick off put the Philippines on board before carrying the lead into halftime.
It took until the 56th before the Azkals U-23 extended their lead as Chung scored off Schrock’s assist that came after dispossessing a Timor-Leste opponent.
Bedic, who joins Schrock as the team’s overage player, made it 3-0 in the 77th beating two defenders after receiving a pass by Lance Ocampo.
The final goal came in the 81st as Kekkonen fired a shot near the edge of the box following a short pass by Oliver Bias.