Philippines concludes Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign with loss

Philippines’ players sing their national anthem before start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification football match between Indonesia and Philippines at Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta on June 11, 2024. (Photo by Bay ISMOYO / AFP)

The Philippine men’s football team wrapped up its Fifa World Cup Qualifiers campaign with a 2-0 loss to Indonesia Tuesday at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.

Goals scored courtesy of Thom Haye and Rizky Ramadhani from each half allowed the Indonesians to progress into the final round of the qualifiers while the team formerly known as the Azkals ended with just one point on one draw in six matches.

About 65,000 fans watched the match which was a non-bearing or coach Tom Sainfiet’s side after its elimination was confirmed last week with a heartbreaking 3-2 away loss to Vietnam in Hanoi.

READ: Indonesia ‘closer to dream’ of Fifa World Cup after beating PH

Next up for the Philippines is the third round of the qualifiers for the 2027 Asian Cup which it will try to secure as one of the six group winners.

Haye scored for Indonesia in the 32nd minute after the Philippines kept things scoreless behind a few saves from goalkeeper Kevin Ray Mendoza, who was placed in the starting lineup.

The Philippine side tried to equalize in the second half, but Indonesia eventually doubled its lead near the hour mark on Ramadhani’s header.

Late in the match, the Philippines saw one of its new players go down with an injury when Adrian Ugelvik got elbowed by Indonesia keeper Ernando Sutaryadi during stoppage time.

The team said Ugelvik, in only his second cap, underwent observation at a hospital in the Indonesian capital.