MANILA -- Interim Philippine Men’s National Football Team (PMNFT) coach Carles Cuadrat is eager to earn his first managerial victory as the PMNFT set to face Tajikistan in the second window of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, tomorrow night.
Cuadrat shared his confidence during a press conference held Monday afternoon at the New Clark City Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.
"We are very excited about the match. We know it is very important for the team and the country," said Cuadrat, acknowledging the high stakes of the qualifier against their familiar Asian rivals.
"We are playing against a very competitive team," he added, describing Tajikistan as a formidable opponent.
Prolific winger Gerrit Holtmann is set to make his long-awaited home debut for the Philippines. This will be his second appearance in the Asian Cup Qualifiers, following his memorable debut where he scored a dramatic late winner against Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar during the final round of the 2023 qualifiers.
“It’s my first time to play in the Philippines. I feel nervous, but I’m ready. We hope to be successful,” Holtmann said.
“It will be a completely different squad and a different game — with a lot of quality players. We’ll try to have a really good game tomorrow,” he added.
Holtmann, a former VFL Bochum attacker, was also instrumental in the Philippines’ 3–0 victory over Tajikistan in the battle for third place at the 2024 King’s Cup in Thailand. He scored the opener in the 47th minute, followed by goals from Jeff Tabinas and Zico Bailey.
Top spot in Group A is up for grabs as the Philippines and Tajikistan prepare for what promises to be a tightly contested match Tuesday night in Capas.
