PMNFT 22-U squad ends 34-year SEA Games semifinal drought

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

History has been made.

After more than three decades of heartbreaks and disappointing campaigns, the Philippine Men’s National Football Team’s 22-Under squad is back in the semifinals of the Southeast Asian Games, taking down defending champion Indonesia, 1-0, on Dec. 8, 2025, at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Fresh off a momentum-boosting 2-0 victory over Myanmar to kick off their SEA Games bid on a high note, the Filipinos weren’t willing to call it a night after upsetting last edition’s kings of the 22-U football competition.

Equipped with oozing confidence and a retooled system under new chief tactician Garrath McPherson, the PMNFT began the match with an expected sense of urgency as they disrupted Indonesia’s offensive rhythm with their tremendous interceptions in the passing lanes.

The simple leg taps meant a huge thing for the PHL, preventing the Indonesians from resetting their attack and throwing the ball back to their fullback for another execution.

As soon as their patient defensive schemes put pressure on the Indonesians, the Filipinos started to throw long through-ball passes as their point of attack to set up their offensive game plan.

Indonesia was able to defend back-to-back attempts from the Filipinos, but Filipino American forward Otu Banatao played a major spoiler when he scored the lone goal of the match in the 45+1st minute just before the first half expired.

Banatao stunned the whole Indonesian team after sending in a sweet header, made possible when a quick scramble for the ball went in his direction in a free-kick situation.

Indonesia was in emergency time the whole second half, forcing them to rush their offensive sets, en route to a massive victory for the PMNFT.

They had clean looks in the final 23 minutes of regulation, but the PMNFT’s backline of defense did its job, deflecting every attempt Indonesia fired to cap off the elimination phase as the top seeds of Group C.

With the win, the PMNFT already increased its tournament tally to six points, boosted by an undefeated 2-0 campaign.