FILIPINO-DANISH striker Bjorn Kristensen boosted the country’s AFC Asian Cup hopes late Tuesday night, scoring a brace as the Philippines settled for a fighting 2-all standoff against Tajikistan in a pivotal and pulsating Group A qualifying match at the New Clark City Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.
Kristensen scored the go-ahead goal in the 28th minute, a diving header off Gerrit Holtmann’s free kick that bounced off the right crossbar, then saved the night in front of 10,048 delighted hometown fans for the equalizer in the 79th minute.
Sharboni Mabashoyev scored the visitors’ first goal as PH goalkeeper Kelvin Mendoza muffed an easy save in the 30th minute while the other goal was from a penalty kick by teammate Parvidzon Umarbayev 12 minutes later that gave them a 2-1 lead at the break.
Both squads earned a point each from the draw and had four points each after two matches in the third round of the Asian Cup qualifying phase.
But the Philippines remained on top of the group on goal difference – +3 to Tajikistan’s +1 – in the two-round home-away series that will decide the group’s sole qualifier for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Timor Leste nipped Maldives 1-0 for its first win in the group, good for three points and third place, while keeping its foe winless in two games in a match held in Darwin, Australia.
The PH-Tajikistan draw was a welcome greeting for newly-appointed Spanish coach Carles Cuadrat, who took charge with the sudden resignation of compatriot Albert Capellas just a few days before the critical game.
It was also a nice result for Holtmann, who was appearing in his first home game, receiving appreciative cheers from the Filipino gallery every time he was near the ball.
The only fly in the ointment was the yellow card that he got shortly after Kristensen scored the opening goal, which was also one of six that Iranian referee Hassan Akrami slapped on the Filipinos in the testy match, with the Tajiks getting four of them.
Skipper Manny Ott, Kristensen, Santi Rublico, Paul Tabina and Josef Baccay were also recipients of YCs by the whistle-happy referee.
The Filipino footballers, who last saw action in 2019 edition in the United Arab Emirates, will aim to fortify their grip of the top spot that will earn a return ticket to the continental football showcase two years from now when they face the Timorese in October.
With the celebrated Holtmann closely marked, Kristensen was the star of the PH attacking show as he picked up his seventh and eighth goals for the Nationals, who were determined to duplicate their 3-1 triumph over the Tajiks in the King’s Cup in Bangkok, Thailand last October.
His second marker that tied the game with 12 minutes to go was a sight to behold – taking a long clearance from Mendoza just inside Tajikistan’s penalty area then masterfully slotting in the goal in the 78th minute through two defenders from 30 feet and past scrambling Tajik goalkeeper Yatimov Rustam.
