Clutch Malditas beat Nepal to open AFC Asian Cup qualifiers bid

The Philippine national women's football team opened its AFC Asian Cup qualifiers campaign with a scintillating 2-1 victory over Nepal on Saturday (Manila time) at the JAR Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The Malditas were scoreless almost all throughout the match while Nepal's Bimala Chaudhary scored a breakthrough at the ninth minute mark of the game.

It was only at the 89th minute that the Philippines would score a goal after Filipina booter Tahnai Annis delivered an equalizer followed by another goal from Camille Wilson just three minutes after.

That allowed the Philippines to finish off the gutsy Nepal side to lead Group F.

The Philippines will next face Hong Kong on September 24 in hopes to qualify to the Asian Cup in India next year.

A total of 12 teams will qualify to the tournament with the host earning an outright berth along with the top three teams from the previous competition in 2018. The other eight teams, meanwhile, will be determined through the ongoing qualifying tournament.

—JMB, GMA News