Jovin Bedic came on late and played the hero for the Philippines men's national football team, which drew Thailand 1-1 in the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup in Bacolod on Wednesday.

Supachai Jaided put the visitors on the board not long after the break, but Thailand couldn't add to its total at the Panaad.

Bedic entered the match for Stephan Palla in the 77th, then scored the equalizer 3 minutes later when his shot bounced off the right-hand goal post, before rolling inside the line.

The result meant the Philippines and Thailand remain at 7 points each to lead Group B.

"I think we played very well, all 90 minutes. For me, we were the better team out there. We created more . . . 1-1 is OK, but we could've won the game," Azkals head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said.

"I'm very happy with the performance of the team."

Eriksson added he would have wanted more goals, as the Philippines wasn't exactly starving for opportunities.

After Supachai's 56th-minute strike, the hosts' attempts remained futile until the odd Bedic finish.

His kick coming from just outside the penalty area threaded through the Thailand defense before ricocheting off the post and hitting the ground. The ball then barely steered clear of goalkeeper Chatchai Budprom's hands, pivoting into the goal line for the score and sending the more than 3,000 hometown fans on their feet in jubilation.

The Philippines tries to secure a place in the semifinals when it travels to Jakarta on Sunday, November 24, to battle Indonesia, the two sides' final elimination-round match.

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