SANDRO Reyes hurt himself while celebrating with his teammates the marginal goal of Kike Linares that handed the Philippines an upset win over Thailand in the first leg of the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024 semifinals.
He will take that injury anytime for this memorable moment in Philippine football.
READ: PMNT stuns champion Thailand, 2-1, on Linares' stoppage-time goal
On Friday night, the Philippine Men's National Team (PMNT) achieved a milestone when it defeated the War Elephants, 2-1, in the first of two semis matches in the tournament that the latter has practically dominated - winning the cup seven times, including the last two.
PMNT is, at least, one draw away from dislodging the Southeast Asian giant with the second and last leg to be played on Monday at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok.
While celebrating the goal, Reyes cramped up and was seen being helped by a teammate after he jumped up and down and pounding the track oval of the Rizal Memorial Stadium with his bare hands in celebration of the Linares goal.
But after a few seconds, Reyes got up and celebrated again.
No losses, just lessons for PMNT
Apparently, that cramp was nothing compared to the pain the Filipinos felt during the group stage that nonetheless proved to be their fuel against the Thais, especially in the latter part of the match.
The 21-year-old Reyes, considered as the future of Philippine football, said the win was a fitting result for a team that endured a lot during the group stage where they began with three draws – two of which should have been victories, if not for the late goals conceded.
“We know how to suffer. We suffered the entire group stage and I think the group stage was a perfect practice (for the Thailand match) because we suffered a lot and we found a way to get out of all those hurdles,” said Reyes, who plays professional football for Gutersloh in the Regionalliga West in Germany.
“We went through hell and we came out and (on Friday), the exact same thing. We went through hell and the end of the first half until the end of the game,” said Reyes.
Reyes scored the first goal of the Philippines in the 21st minute on a lefty kick that found the back of the net, prompting a celebration inside the stadium. But jubilation turned into nervousness for Philippine supporters after Suphanan Bureerat tied the match before halftime, and Thailand creating but missing several chances in the second half.
“It was Thailand (that) had many chances. They were putting pressure on us. We couldn’t keep the ball. It was very difficult. We were very tired,” said Reyes.
But they found a way.
The PMNT won on a 95th-minute goal by Linares, a diving header off another header from Paul Tabinas inside the box in a set piece that began on a free kick by Zico Bailey from midfield.
“We got out of hell and scored the last-minute goal,” said Reyes.
As one of the homegrown players of the Philippine team before he took his talents overseas by joining FC Barcelona’s youth academy, Reyes knows the magnitude of the victory for the country and the sport.
“Since I played football since four years old in the Philippines, watching the Suzuki Cup (former name of the ASEAN Cup), Thailand was always the team to beat and they are always the strongest team in Southeast Asia for so long. So to beat them just shows how far we’ve come and where we are right now,” said Reyes.
'Job isn't halfway done'
The win is also the cherry on top on what has been a memorable Christmas for Reyes, as he was able to spend time with his family while playing in his first ASEAN Cup.
“I don't think my family is ever together. We’re always in separate parts of the world the whole year. And we just re-unite for Christmas. And this Christmas is, if not one of the most special, the most special that I’ve gone through. They were all in the stands. I saw them. So it means so much to me.”
While they are in celebratory mood, Reyes and the entire team also recognize that they need to finish the job with another semis match to play against the reigning champions at their home field.
Then just like the semis, the final will be a home-and-away two-legged affair set on January 2 and 5, with the latter match to be played in Manila if the Filipinos go on to advance.
“I don’t think the job is not even halfway done. We have a really difficult second leg coming up. And we want to play a final here. So we will give everything to play that final here,” said Reyes.
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