YANGON (11 Sept 2017) – Myanmar blasted the Philippines 7-0 to keep in touch with aspirants Indonesia for a place in the next round of the AFF Under-18 Championship here in Yangon.
With Vietnam having secured their place in the semi-finals this year, the pressure was on Myanmar to keep up the pace alongside Indonesia from Group B.
And while it may have taken a while, actually the whole of the first half of the encounter at the Thuwunna Stadium, the floodgates finally opened just six minutes into the restart.
“It was very hard at the start. We were playing under a lot of pressure and that made it difficult at the start,” said Myat Kaung Khant. “But we still managed to win big at the end and that was important.”
The return of suspended keeper Quincy Kammeraad gave the Philippines a lot of confidence as they thwarted a string of Myanmar attempts.
But with the pace picking up in the second half, it was obvious that the lack of fitness was telling on the Philippines side.
And in the 51st minute, the Philippines goal was finally breached when Htet Phyoe Wai ran in down the left for Pyae Sone Naing to score.
Two quick goals later – Win Naing Tun (56th and 63rd minute) ensured the that game is already over as a competition with Myanmar adding further goals through Kaung Khant hat trick (74th, 76th and 90th).
The other goal was scored by Naing Tun in the 85th minute.
“We could only matched them in the first half but the second, the lack of fitness was telling,” added Philippins head coach Jose Aberasturi.
RESULTS – GROUP A
Philippines 0 Myanmar 7
Indonesia 0 Vietnam 3
FIXTURES – GROUP B
11 Sept 2017
1500: Thailand vs Malaysia (Thuwunna Stadium)
1800: Timor Leste vs Singapore (Thuwunna Stadium)
1500: Laos vs Cambodia (Aung San Stadium)
CURRENT STANDINGS (as at 11 Sept 2017)
| Group A | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Malaysia | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 12 |
| Thailand | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 12 |
| Singapore | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 6 |
| Timor Leste | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 4 |
| Cambodia | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 1 |
| Laos | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 0 |
| Group B | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Vietnam | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 15 | 9 |
| Myanmar | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 2 | 13 | 6 |
| Indonesia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 6 |
| Brunei DS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 17 | -13 | 3 |
| Philippines | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 24 | -22 | 0 |
