So, if you look at the past, both the Philippines and Tajikistan have kind of been seen as the "new kids on the block" in Asian football. They don't have the crazy long history of wins like Japan or South Korea, but their fans are super loyal. I’ve watched both teams try to make it through the groups before, but it hasn’t always worked out since they usually get matched with some of the top Asian teams right away.

The Philippines got a ton of hype when they qualified for their first-ever AFC Asian Cup not too long ago—my uncle wouldn’t stop talking about it for days. Tajikistan is similar; they’ve had a couple of standout runs in qualifiers too and always look like they're on the brink of doing something big.

I think both teams have been getting better thanks to more support and bringing in players from their diaspora. They might not be favorites yet, but people keep an eye on them because every tournament, they show up hungrier. The underdog energy is strong with both squads! It makes watching their games so much more fun.