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<div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1725858647640IMG_4906.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="PMNFT’s Bjorn Martin Kristensen. Photo handout."/>PMNFT’s Bjorn Martin Kristensen. Photo handout</div>The Philippine men&#x27;s national football team completed its 2024 Merdeka Cup in fourth place after absorbing a penalty shootout defeat against Tajikistan.The Filipino strikers ended regulation in a 0-0 draw against the world-ranked No. 103 squad on Sunday, but it was Alisher Shukorov who clinched the 4-3 win for the Tajiks in the shootout. Before this, Bjorn Kristensen fired narrowly wide on the half-hour mark after being played through by Alex Monis. Shortly after, Sandro Reyes&#x27;s stinging volley forced a great save from the Tajikistan keeper. Dylan Demuynck struck the crossbar to start the second half, and Bjorn Kristensen drew another fine stop from the keeper with 15 minutes to go. Substitute JB Borlongan almost won it in the end, but the opposition shot-stopper put in one last save with a minute left in regulation.&quot;I&#x27;m very proud of the team. We played really well. We played with a lot of possession and I think we dominated the game and also had the most chances. So I think we deserved to win, but that&#x27;s football sometimes,&quot; said Filipino goalkeeper Kevin Mendoza, who earned a clean sheet in between the sticks.&quot;Most important is that our playing style worked and that the boys were fighting in there, and that we stuck together for 90 minutes.&quot;&quot;It&#x27;s pretty clear that we played a different style of football — a lot more possession. We were more confident with the ball and we dared to play. This is the future of the Philippines. We want to play and I think we showed what we could do,&quot; he continued.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/9/5/ph-men-suffer-heartbreak-vs-malaysia-in-merdeka-cup-1722">READ: PH men&#x27;s football team suffers heartbreak vs Malaysia in Merdeka Cup</a></div>Kidapawan-born 20-year-old Uriel Dalapo, who came on in the 72nd minute impressed on his debut, and he believes bigger things are on the horizon for the team.&quot;We deserved the win, honestly. I think we were the better team there even though they were much higher ranked than us. All I can say is the Philippines will go up in the near future,&quot; he said.Also optimistic was 12-year veteran Patrick Reichelt, who was unfortunately forced to prematurely exit due to an injury in the first half but sees signs of bigger things to come for the national team.&quot;It feels like a success even though we lost in the penalties. There&#x27;s a lot of improvement in the way we pressed and the way we played. There&#x27;s a lot of positives to take from this game and to bring to future camps,&quot; he said. &quot;It&#x27;s a clean sheet. It&#x27;s 0-0. Now we have to get more clinical in front of goal and I think we&#x27;ll be more successful.&quot; The Nationals will next see action in the King&#x27;s Cup in Thailand from October 7 to 15.<div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"> </div>

The Philippine men’s national football team completed its 2024 Merdeka Cup in fourth place after absorbing a penalty shootout defeat against Tajikistan.

The Philippine men’s national football team completed its 2024 Merdeka Cup in fourth place after absorbing a penalty shootout defeat against Tajikistan.

PMNFT settles for fourth place in Merdeka Cup after shootout defeat against Tajikistan

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PMNFT settles for fourth place in Merdeka Cup after shootout defeat against Tajikistan

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 09, 2024 01:34 PM PHT

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football

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2024 Merdeka Cup

Philippine men's national football team

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Tajikistan

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