Team Tajikistan came to this tournament to defend the title, but already in the semifinals they lost to Lebanon with a score of 0:1, the only goal was conceded in the opening game.
Prior to that, the team played in World Cup qualifying, where they finished third in their quartet, trailing Jordan and Saudi Arabia. In general, the Tajiks have not been performing well of late, which could be the reason for the failure in the last match.
Soccer team of the Philippines is not famous for great traditions, in the semifinals of this tournament, the team lost to the hosts and organizers Malaysia with a score of 1:2, although they played decently, and the decisive goal was conceded in the middle of the second half with a penalty kick.
The national team has a prolonged series of failures, as the said defeat was the fifth in a row. In their World Cup qualification group, the Philippines were hopelessly last, having scored only one point in six meetings, and they fought with such teams as: Iraq, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Among the friendlies scheduled for September 8, it makes sense to pay attention to the confrontation between Tajikistan and the Philippines, it will be a battle for third place in the Merdeka Cup. Exclusive prediction for this meeting prepared by Dailysports experts.
