The Philippine Azkals fell to China, 2-0, in the joint 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers on Tuesday (Manila time) at Sharjah Stadium in the United Arab Emirates.
The Azkals held for with an encouraging display in the first half of play, but yielded two goals after intermission to allow China to grab the victory.
Chinese star Wu Lei converted on a penalty in the 56th minute before winger Wu Xinghan padded the lead in the 65th minute.
The loss delivered a big blow to the Azkals’ World Cup bid. The Philippines remained in third place in Group A with seven points with a 2-1-3 record.
Second-running China, on the other hand, boosted its chances to advance …
Keep on reading: China nips PH XI with two goals after halftime