Camille Naredo

The Philippine men's national handball team after a close loss to Vietnam in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, December 8, 2025 at the Eastern National Sports Training Center in Chonburi, Thailand. POC Media

The Philippine men's national handball team after a close loss to Vietnam in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, December 8, 2025 at the Eastern National Sports Training Center in Chonburi, Thailand.

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2025 Southeast Asian Games

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765202191272Handball - PH team.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The Philippine men&#x27;s national handball team after a close loss to Vietnam in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, December 8, 2025 at the Eastern National Sports Training Center in Chonburi, Thailand. POC Media" width="960"/>The Philippine men&#x27;s national handball team after a close loss to Vietnam in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, December 8, 2025 at the Eastern National Sports Training Center in Chonburi, Thailand. POC Media</div>MANILA -- The Philippines just fell short against defending champion Vietnam, 25-27, in the men&#x27;s handball competition of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games on Monday at the Eastern National Sports Training Center in Chonburi, Thailand.Nonetheless, the slim defeat against a regional powerhouse boosted the national team&#x27;s confidence. Vietnam had completed a golden sweep in the men’s and women’s indoor handball and men’s beach handball events when it hosted the 2021 SEA Games.&quot;I think ito ay magiging way to show that we are not a team that is easy to push over, kailangan nilang paghandaan din kami,&quot; said Ethan Casares. &quot;Lalaban kami at lalaban. Doon ako natutuwa for our team.&quot;Casares, who plays pivot, admitted there were low expectations going into this SEA Games as he and other members joined the squad just a couple of months back.He took up the sport seriously following his two-year run as a physical therapist for PBA club Rain or Shine, where he also occasionally serves as a practice player.His experience proved useful, as Casares helped the Philippines give Vietnam a run for its money.&quot;Coming into this, hindi rin kami sobrang nag-expect na aabot sa punto na ganito. Feeling ko kinabahan sila nang kaunti. Ang maganda kasi na nakadikit kami and to perform the way we did today, laking bagay din, natuwa kami lahat,&quot; he said. &quot;Ang dami kaming hindi sure noong una kasi for some of us nga, ito ‘yung unang international stint namin in handball,&quot; he added.The Philippines eyes a bounce-back win against Malaysia on Thursday, December 11, with the team also set to tangle with Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand in Group A.

#2025SEAGames || The slim defeat against a regional powerhouse boosted the national team's confidence.

#2025SEAGames || The slim defeat against a regional powerhouse boosted the national team's confidence.

SEAG: PH men's handball team falls short against defending champion Vietnam

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SEAG: PH men's handball team falls short against defending champion Vietnam

ABS-CBN News

Published December 08, 2025 10:00 PM PHT

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handball

SEA Games

2025 SEA Games

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