Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 10) – The Philippine football teams continue their campaign in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam with contrasting results.
On Monday night, the World Cup-bound Philippine women’s football team crushed Cambodia, 5-0, at the Cam Pha Stadium in Quang Ninh town.
Isabella Flanigan started the scoring spree for the Filipinas in the 27th minute, the team’s lone goal in the first half.
It was in the second half when the Alen Stajcic-coached team displayed their attacking prowess after scoring four goals in a 17-minute stretch.
Sarina Bolden scored the Filipinas’ second goal in the 64th minute off a corner kick, while Eva Madarang tripled their lead after four minutes as she fired the loose ball from a mishandled save by Cambodian goalkeeper Chea Sompors.
Quinley Quezeda and Annicka Castañeda completed the onslaught after striking the Filipinas’ last two goals in the 76th and 80th minute, respectively.
“It was very tough and the conditions were hot and humid, but we found our form, but we know that there’s room for improvement,” Stajcic said in the post-game interview.
The Filipinas look to secure the top spot in the three-team Group A against host country and fellow World Cup debutante Vietnam on Thursday at 8 p.m. Philippine time.
Meanwhile, the Azkals Under-23 squad suffered a tough 2-3 loss against Myanmar on Tuesday at the Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho town.
The Burmese opened the scoreline early in the first minute of the match as forward Win Naing Tun was left open in the running attack to complete the strike.
Midway in the first half, Azkals striker Jovin Bedic completed the comeback for the Philippines after scoring two goals in four minutes.
Bedic, one of the two senior players in the squad, forced the equalizer in the 34th minute as he fired a header near the box off a corner kick play.
The Kaya-Iloilo star gave the lead to the Philippines in the 38th minute from a penalty kick. Bedic went to the penalty line after Burmese midfielder Yan Kyaw Soe fouled the Azkals’ Oliver Bias inside the box.
In the second half, Myanmar started more aggressively as their efforts were rewarded with two quick goals in a three-minute span.
Midfielder Lwin Moe Aung tied the game at two-all in the 50th minute with a header in a set play inside the box, while team captain Soe Moe Kyaw completed the corner play in the 52nd minute with a left footer goal near the net.
The tight Myanmar defense in the remaining minutes of the fixture gave the Filipinos a hard time to force a draw, just like their huge result against host country and top-ranked Southeast Asian nation Vietnam last Sunday.
The Azkals suffered their first defeat in the tournament and tied Vietnam in second spot of Group A with one win, one loss, and one draw for a total of four points.
The Azkals U-23 squad must win its last group stage game against Indonesia on Friday at 5 p.m. (Philippine time) to clinch a semifinals berth.
