The Philippines qualified for the Asian Football Confederation Futsal Championships for the first time, after posting two victories to finish second in its group in the qualifying stage held in Taiwan recently.

The Filipinos, drawing a hat-trick from Ariel Zerrudo, downed the Maldives, 5-2, Monday at the Hsin Chuang Gymnasium to join Group B winners Lebanon in the main tournament to be hosted by Japan in May.

Goals from Bacolod-based captain Ali Bernard Goand Peyman Nedajsafavi sandwiched Zerrudo's three goals in the space of three minutes bridging the first and final periods.

The victory was a fitting follow-up to a 4-2 stunning of host Chinese-Taipei in a match, where Zerrudo --- aiming to make up for his poor showing in the Asean Football Championships --- used his pace and trickery to score all four RP goals.

Lebanon dealt the Philippines, mentored by Iranian Esmaiel Saidegh, its only loss in the qualifiers, 8-2. Iran and Korea Republic also topped the other group to qualify along with host Japan, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Hong Kong, China, Turkmenistan, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Kuwait, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

"Our qualification is nice and encouraging. But we have to be realistic. The second round in Japan will be very tough," said Philippine Football Federation president Johnny Romualdez.

Success in Taiwan somehow cushioned the impact of a disappointing showing by the Philippine Under-21 squad in the Hassan Bolkiah Trophy Asean Youth Championships in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.

The hastily-formed Philippines squad, led by Chelsea reserve Phil Younghusband, yielded to Cambodia, 0-6, Wednesday night and finished the tournament winless in three games.

A 9-1 loss to Myanmar and a 3-2 defeat to Brunei dashed the Philippines hopes of progressing to the next round. Jason Panhay, St. La Salle's standout winger, was part of the RP Team but saw limited action. Panhay started in the game against Myanmar but was relegated to the substitutes' bench against Brunei. Romualdez admitted the team lacked preparations, while some of the players in the squad did not have any international experience. *CPT

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