AFC The Philippines’ Tahnai Annis tries to keep control of the ball against Indonesia’s Baiq Amiatun Shalinah during the AFC Women’s Asian Cup group stage Thursday night in Pune. AFC photo

Pinay booters make history

January 29, 2022 Theodore P. Jurado 515 views

THE Philippines moved closer in fulling its ultimate goal of making it to the FIFA Women’s World Cup with an emphatic 6-0 win over Indonesia at the end of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup group stage Thursday night in Pune, India.

By securing a quarterfinals berth, the Filipinas, who finished second in Group A with six points, have two chances of qualifying in the world’s biggest women’s football showpiece for the first time ever.

Hoping to get the job done right away, the Philippines will play Chinese Taipei in the quarters at 10 p.m. (Manila time) tomorrow.

Accomplishing their initial goal of making it past the group stage, skipper Tahnai Annis knows the enormous challenge the Filipinas are facing at this point of the competition.

“We have a goal in mind, and we’re not finished yet, so we can’t get complacent in where we are. But it is also important to embrace how far we’ve come, and all the things that we’ve accomplished thus far,” said Annis, who scored twice against the Indonesians.

A loss will drop the Philippines to a playoff for one or two remaining FIFA World Cup berths at stake in the tournament. The slots will depend on how Group A winner Australia, which will co-host with New Zeland next year, will perform in the quarters.

That’s why Annis emphasized the need for the Filipinas to emerge triumphant in what could be the biggest match in the country’s women’s football history.

“It’s 90 minutes, do or die, and I know that we’re up for the task, and we’ve prepared for it, and I know that we can achieve this,” said Annis.

The Philippines was hardly threatened against Indonesia, as Katrina Guillou, Sarina Bolden, Jessica Miclat and Malea Louise Cesar also entered the scoresheet.

The Filipinas were Southeast Asia’s best performer in the group stage. The Philippines’ regional rivals Thailand and Vietnam advanced as the two best third-placed teams following the conclusion of the group stage.

The Indonesians, who suffered a whooping 0-18 loss to the Australians in last week’s opener, ended up at the bottom of the Group B table without a point to show.

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