MANILA – The Philippine women’s football team kicked off its 19th Asian Games women’s football campaign with a 3-1 victory over Hong Kong last night at the Wenzhou Centre Sports Stadium in China.
Quinley Quezada and Katrine Guillou connected a goal each in the final three minutes as the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaigner Filipinas gained an early three points in Group E.
With the score tied at 1-1, Quezada broke the deadlock in the 89th minute as she took advantage of a mad scramble to connect from inside the penalty box.
Guillou then connected an insurance goal for the Filipinas two minutes later as she evaded a Hong Kong defender to knock in a left-footed shot that found the back of the net.
Prior to that, Sarina Bolden surged the Filipinas on top at 1-0 in the ninth minute. She connected a well-placed penalty kick past the Hong Kong goal keeper.
Hong Kong then stunned Filipinas goal keeper Olivia McDaniel in the 34th minute as Wai Ki Cheung connected a left-footed shot from outside the penalty box.
From that moment, the Filipinas struggled to find a decent shot attempt with Hong Kong’s swarming defense until Castaneda broke the dry spell late in the game.
The No. 44-ranked Filipinas will next face South Korea on Monday evening before wrapping up their group stage assignment against Myanmar on Sept. 28.
It is important for the Mark Toscano-mentored Philippine women’s football team to finish on top of the group to earn a seat to the next round of the competition.
If ever the Filipinas landed at second place, they will still have a slim chance to reach the next phase if they will be one the three best group stage runner up finishers./PN
