. ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁countries ▁met ▁twice ▁before ▁the ▁final s ▁match . ▁Their ▁first ▁meeting ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁qual ification ▁phase ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁A FC ▁Challenge ▁Cup ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁which ▁ended ▁in ▁a ▁go all ess ▁draw . ▁While ▁their ▁second ▁match ▁together ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁A FC ▁Challenge ▁Cup ▁third - place ▁play off , ▁where ▁the ▁Filip inos ▁won ▁the ▁game , ▁ 4 – 3 . ▁That ▁result ▁causes ▁the ▁Philippines ▁to ▁grab ▁their ▁best ▁finish ▁yet ▁in ▁a ▁major ▁tournament ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁Challenge ▁Cup . ▁Michael ▁We iss , ▁then ▁head ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines ▁con gr at ulated ▁his ▁team ▁by ▁" show ing ▁their ▁fighting ▁spirit " ▁throughout ▁the ▁game . ▁He ▁later ▁admitted ▁that ▁"[ he ▁did ▁not ] ▁expected ▁the ▁match ▁to ▁go ▁that ▁way ". ▁While , ▁Palest ine ▁head ▁coach ▁Jam al ▁Mah m oud ▁described ▁their ▁last ▁game ▁against ▁them ▁was ▁" the ▁worst ▁game ▁that ▁we ▁ever ▁played ▁in ▁international ▁football ". ▁Like ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁Palest ine ▁also ▁made ▁history ▁as ▁they ▁were ▁the ▁first ▁West ▁Asian ▁team ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁the ▁knock out ▁stage ▁of ▁the ▁tournament . ▁The ▁Philippines ▁were ▁considered ▁the ▁" f avor ites " ▁heading ▁towards ▁the ▁game . ▁Go al . com ▁predicted ▁that ▁the ▁Filip inos ▁will ▁more ▁likely ▁to ▁beat ▁Palest ine ▁in ▁a ▁ 2 – 1 ▁sc or eline .