THE Filipinas capped their storybook run in the 12th ASEAN Football Federation Women’s Championship title match last night with a rousing 3-0 win over Thailand before a delighted hometown crowd at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Sporting bright red colors and energized by 8,257 noisy fans, the Filipinas took the fight to the Thais, earning payback for their 0-1 setback to the four-time champions in their group stage battle in bagging the country’s first major international football title.
The victory was the latest laurel for the spirited charges of Australian coach Alen Stajcic, who qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time with their semifinal finish in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup last February. They also won a bronze finish in the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games last May.
Defender Jessica Cowart bulldozed her way to the front to head in the first goal just seven minutes into the match off a precise right corner kick by skipper Tahnai Annis, then Katrina Guillou threaded the needle inside the box to give the host team a surprise 2-0 lead at the break.
Fittingly, irrepressible striker Sarina Bolden hammered the final nail into the Thais’ coffin with a header in the 88th minute, before exiting almost immediately to a standing ovation from the crowd.
The margin could have been bigger if not for the goaltending heroics of Thai keeper Chotmanee Thongmongkol, who was kept busy all night by the predatory hosts.
Her Philippine counterpart, Olivia McDaniel, shared the spotlight and was superb at the net as usual, especially late in the second half when the four-time champions pressed their attack.
Earlier, Myanmar completed dethroned Vietnam’s humiliation with a thrilling come-from-behind 4-3 win for the bronze medal.
Scoreless in her previous outings, striker San Thaw Thaw cut loose with a hat trick, including the winning goal in the 88th minute on a follow-up shot that relegated the Vietnamese to fourth place, one of their most miserable outings in the tournament.
“This win is truly exhilarating. We’ve climbed a little hill tonight, we’ve conquered Southeast Asia, but I know there are big mountains ahead. It is a big hill to climb and there are bigger challenges ahead,” said Stajcic, the architect behind the rousing win.
“Football is very much alive in the Philippines!” added the Australian tactician as he acknowledged the support of hometown fans in the all-important title clash the hosts earned after pulling the rug from under the Vietnamese 4-0 last Friday in the semis.
The Filipinas continued their relentless drive in the second half, with veteran forward Quinley Quezada getting a clear shot from the right wing, only for the ball to hit the right goal post and was cleared by Thongmongkol.
Except for defender Dominique Randle, Stajcic assembled what could be his strongest starting 11 led by Annis, inspirational striker Bolden and veteran defenders Eva Madarang, Sofia Harrison and Hali Long plus Jessica Miclat and Sara Eggesvik patrolling the midfield.
