Three-time ASEAN champions Thailand held Philippines to a goalless draw in the AFF Suzuki Cup semifinal first leg clash at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila on Saturday night, despite playing the last 22 minutes with 10 men.
Subsitute Thai forward Kraisorn Adisak was shown a straight red card in the 68th minute for an off-the-ball incident involving Philippines' defender Amani Aguinaldo.
Thailand came charging out of the blocks and with barely a minute on the clock, Kirati Keawsombut was fouled on the edge of the box with Sarach Yooyen firing the subsequent free-kick wide.
While the boys in blue continued to play their sleek passing game with Chanathip Songkrasin pulling the strings in midfield, it was the home side who came to grips with the pace of the match on the synthetic pitch as Martin Steuble, Jerry Lucena and Manuel Ott began to string the passes together.
The Azkals got their first sniff at goal when a short corner kick routine by Ott saw Steuble firing his shot over the bar.
Kiatisuk Senamuang had to make an unexpected change in the 21st minute when Kirati went to ground seemingly with a hip injury with Adisak Kraisorn coming on in his place.
Both sides continuously tried to pry open the defence to no avail. But the best chance of the first-half came in the 41st minute when Phil younghusband stepped up and unleashed a 20-yard free-kick that was destined for the top left corner only for Kawin Thamsatchanan to pull off a save at full stretch.
The Thais came out for the second period with renewed enthusiasm. Within three minutes, Adisak played to Charyl Chappuis whose dummy left Sarach with all the time in the world only for the defensive midfielder to scuff his shot high and wide.
Two minutes later and some great interchanging play between Adisak, Chanathip and Peerapat Notechaiya saw the latter break free in the box before clipping his shot into the side netting.
Philippines replied in the 53rd minute when Daisuke Sato released Younghusband down the left as the former Chelsea FC youngster brushed aside Tanaboon Kesarat and Peerapat, only to lose his footing in the box with only Kawin to beat.
Just a minute later, Thailand's best chance of the match saw Chappuis drill a lovely ball across goal but Sarawut Masuk's lunge at the far post failed to make connection as another chance goes begging for the visitors.
The complexion of the match changed in the 68th minute. Adisak, who came on for an injured Kirati in the first-half, was given a straight red by referee Abdullah Mohamed Balideh, for retaliating to Amani Aguinaldo's provocation. From the restart, Younghusband and Misagh Bahadoran combined well but the former's shot nestled into the arms of Kawin to keep the score level.
Despite playing for almost a quarter of the game with 10 men, Thailand held their own by bringing on Prakit Deeprom in place of Sarawut Masuk as the Azkals desperately went in search of a goal to give themselves a much needed advantage going into the second leg.
Kiatisuk's men almost had the last laugh in the 83rd minute when Chanathip's shot rebounded off the arm of a Filipino player, only for referee Balideh to wave off the appeals from Thai players.
The second leg will be held on Dec. 10 at Bangkok's Rajamangala National Stadium where all 65,000 tickets have been sold out within days of going on sale. The other semifinal will see Dollah Salleh's Malaysia take on Vietnam in the first leg at the Shah Alam Stadium on Sunday.
Philippines: Patrick Deyto (GK), Rob Grier, Daisuke Sato (85' James Younghusband), Amani Aguinaldo, Simone Rota (62' Kenshiro Daniels), Manuel Ott, Misagh Bahadoran, Jerry Lucena, Martin Steuble, Paul Mulders (C) (60' Patrick Reichelt), Phil Younghusband
Thailand: Kawin Thamsatchanan (GK) (C), Peerapat Notechaiya, Suttinan Phuk-hom, Krirkrit Thaweekarn (86' Mongkol Tossakai), Naruebodin Weerawattanodom, Tanaboon Kesarat, Sarach Yooyen, Charyl Chappuis, Sarawut Masuk (76' Prakit Deeprom), Chanathip Songkrasin, Kirati Keawsombut (21' Adisak Kraisorn)