The Filipinas, the Philippine women’s football team, dominated Southeast Asia powerhouse Thailand, making it a historic victory for the team as they bagged the country’s first ever ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Women’s Football championship title since the tournament’s inception in 2004.
The Filipinas are now the queens of Southeast Asian football with an impressive 3-0 win over the four-time AFF Women’s Champion titleholder, Thailand, at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila in front of an 8,257 crowd last Sunday, July 17.
Under the drizzle, center back Jessika Cowart scored the opening goal for the Philippines in the seventh minute. Forward Katrina Guillou added another score for the team with a strike in the middle in the 19th minute, which secured the team’s two goals in the first half. And striker Sarina Bolden, the tournament’s leading scorer, found the back of the net in the second half to secure the win.
Considered as the architect of the first major international football win for the country, Philippine head coach Alen Stajcic said that the win was 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 of us,” he added.
This historic win was also lauded on social media as different sports celebrities and enthusiasts congratulated the team for their historic win. In a Facebook post, President Ferdinand Romualdez Bongbong Marcos Jr. also lauded the team. Prior to the championship game, he also conveyed his support to the national team and wished them good luck.
This AFF win is the latest glory for the team, which has already qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time and bagged the bronze medal in the 31st Southeast Asian Games last May. And with the AFF crown at hand, this could still be considered just the tip of the iceberg for the Filipinas as they brace for the 2023 FIFA World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/PilipinasWNFT
Source: https://www.facebook.com/PilipinasWNFT/videos/1061708734742848
