Malaysia beat the Philippines to reach AFF Cup semis
Malaysia defeated the Philippines 1-0 to secure a spot in the semi-finals of the 2026 AFF Cup. They are scheduled to face Vietnam in the next round, while Thailand prepares to play Singapore.
Why it matters
This result determines the final bracket for a major regional football tournament in Southeast Asia.
KUALA LUMPUR: Harimau Malaya beat the Philippines 1-0 at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium to book their place in the semi-finals of the Hyundai AFF Cup on Saturday (Aug 8).
Interim coach Tan Cheng Hoe’s men entered the pitch fully aware that nothing less than three points would keep them in the tournament following their 2-0 loss to Group B leaders Thailand on Aug 1, which left them in third place.
With only the top two teams moving on to the semi-finals, the win ensured the team leapfrogged Myanmar into a second-place finish with nine points.
Following a cagey first 15 minutes, G. Pavithran broke the deadlock with a lovely cushioned header after Wan Kuzain Wan Ahmad Kamal lofted the ball into the box.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in