Football match between Cambodia and Philippines at Selayang Stadium during 29th SEA Games Kuala Lumpur 2017 on 15 August 2017. Photo by Dzulfadlil Azim / MASOC
KUALA LUMPUR—After a silent, uneventful first half, the small Filipino crowd at Selayang Stadium suddenly erupted in jubilation after Reymart Cubon scored the first goal in the 52nd minute.
That would include Cubon himself. He was jumping up and down with his teammates on the field that he literally hurt himself.
“I felt my left foot sink on the pitch,” said Cubon in Filipino while munching a banana inside the team bus right after the Philippines routed Cambodia, 2-0, late Tuesday night in the Southeast Asian Games football competitions.
The 22-year-old Hotel and Restaurant graduate from Far Eastern University said they were too used to synthetic turf back home that he felt the competition turf was way too soft.
“We were celebrating after my goal. And then my feet sank. Then Cambodia made a counter,” said Cubon. “That’s when I felt pain.”
The Davao Agilas defender said he would be ready when the team takes on Indonesia on Thursday.
“I was just very happy that I helped the Philippines win,” said Cubon of his first international goal.
He also played for the AFC 23-under in Cambodia where the Philippines narrowly lost, 1-0.