Philippines will cry after second leg of ASEAN Cup semifinals: Thailand player

In the first leg of the semifinals on Dec. 27, the Philippines secured a historic 2-1 victory over Thailand at Rizal Memorial Stadium. The win marked their first triumph over Thailand in 52 years, prompting happy tears and emotional celebrations from both players and fans.

The second leg, set to kick off at 8 p.m.on Monday at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, is a must-win for Thailand to advance. Despite the first-leg loss, Thailand squad remains confident in their ability to turn the tie around.

Thailand defender Chalermsak Aukkee during the pre-match press conference of the Thailand-Philippines match on Dec. 29, 2024. Photo by FAT

Defender Chalermsak Aukkee made a bold statement during the pre-match press conference on Sunday, declaring that the Philippines will once again cry, but this time in defeat, after the second leg.

"I want to invite the football fans to come to the stadium to cheer us a lot. I remember that in the match we lost, the Philippines was so happy that they cried. And this match, they will cry again because we will prevent them from getting to the final," Spin quoted him as saying.

Chalermsak also reflected on the challenges his team faced in the first leg and affirmed that Thailand would come out on top in the return leg.

"If you look at the statistics, you can see we played well despite the result," he said. "The discomfort of playing on artificial turf prevented everyone from performing at their best. But in this second leg, on our home ground, I believe Thailand will win and secure a spot in the final."