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The Men's Philippine Football Team and Iraq battle in a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match in Manila on March 26, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

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FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

Romwel Anzures

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171145698166820240326-fifa-pilipinas-iraq-2MD_5583-MD.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Philippine men’s national football team against Iran. <strong><em></em></strong><em></em><em>Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em><em></em><strong><em></em></strong></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA — The Philippine men’s national football team fell short of clinching their first win at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This, after the Nationals endured a 5-0 beating from Iraq during their Group F clash in front of 10,014 fans on Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">After the Filipino strikers were dealt with a penalty early in the game, <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Iraq&#x27;s</span> Aymen Hussein took advantage of the call and gave his team a 1-0 lead at the ‘14 mark of the game.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">A few minutes later, Amir Fouad backed it up with another score for <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Iraq</span> in the 30th minute, while Hussein followed it with their third goal six minutes later.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Santi Rublico had a good chance to give the Philippines its first goal in the 38th minute, but it was eventually blocked by Iraq&#x27;s defense.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Unfortunately for the home side, Iraq was able to increase their lead to five-nil following Zidane Aamar Iqbal’s goal at ‘60 and Zaid Tahseen Hantoosh’s at ‘77, and visitors were also able to block any other attempt by the Nationals to tally their breakthrough goal.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">This was the second straight defeat of the Philippines against the Asian powerhouse as they previously absorbed a 0-1 loss against Iraq last March 22 in Basra.</p><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Philippines are still winless in four games and now have one draw and three defeats, while Iraq is at the top of their group at 4-0-0.</span></div>

<p>The Philippine men’s national football team fell short of clinching their first win at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.</p>

The Philippine men’s national football team fell short of clinching their first win at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

FIFA: Philippines falters against Iraq, remains winless in Group F

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FIFA: Philippines falters against Iraq, remains winless in Group F

Romwel Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 26, 2024 08:59 PM PHT

Read More:

Football

2026 FIFA World Cup

Philippine men's national football team

Iraq

abssports

FIFA World Cup qualifiers

Asian Cup qualifiers

Philippine Football Federation

PFF

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