THE Filipina5 capped their fruitless campaign in Group B of the AFC Women’s Asian Futsal Cup with a 3-7 beating at the hands of Hong Kong yesterday at the Hohhot Sports Center in Hohhot, China.
After dropping a close 0-1 decision to defending Iran in the opening match and a 0-3 setback to Asean titleholder Vietnam in their next game, the Filipinas absorbed their third straight and worst loss from the Hong Kong booters.
So Hoi Lam and Kung Yuet Claris and Wu Choi Yiu did the most damage for the Hong Kong squad with a pair of markers while Cheung Wai Kai added the other goal as the footballers from the Chinese Special Administrative Region advanced to the next round for the first time as one of the two best third-placed teams.
Dionesa Tolentin, Alyssa del Campo and Isabella Bandoja had a goal each for the charges of coach Rafa Rodriguez, who will have to go back to the drawing board and see how these painful lessons from the Philippine debut in the tournament can make them better.
Even with the exit, however, the Filipinas will still have a spot in the inaugural FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup that the country will host in December.
Both already qualified for the knockout stage, the Iranians and Vietnamese, both with two wins each, were set to dispute group honors at press time.