Philippine women's football team makes history in Asian Cup with win over Indonesia

The Philippine national women's football team beat Indonesia 6-0 to progress to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup knockout stages for the first time in history.

With wins over Thailand and Indonesia, the Philippines claimed second spot in Group B, and will play in the quarterfinals against Chinese Taipei on Sunday for a slot in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Here are five things from the Philippines’ emphatic victory over Indonesia.

1. History for the Philippine Women’s National Team

With two wins in the group stages, this Philippine side has already made history as having the best points total by any Philippine team in the group stages of the Asian Cup, while scoring the most goals ever, thus far.

This was also the first time that the country has progressed past the group stages and into the knockout rounds of the tournament.

Come Sunday against Chinese Taipei, the Philippines will have a chance to make even more history – to be the first Philippine football team to make it to the FIFA World Cup.

2. Filipinas show attacking prowess

With the only goal of the team prior to this game coming from a goalkeeping error, it was important to the team to put on its shooting boots ahead of potentially trickier opponents.

And in a must-win game against the lower ranked Indonesia, the Philippines did not disappoint.

The Filipinas showed their attacking intent right from the onset, and were unlucky to see Sarina Bolden’s penalty hit the post in the fifth minute.

But clad in striking blue shirts, the Filipina booters proved irresistible going forward with Katrina Guillou opening the scoring in the 6th minute.

Bolden then atoned for her penalty miss with a powerful header off of a Jessica Miclat free kick in the 27th minute.

Miclat, the team’s designated set piece taker, was influential throughout the game. Always asking for the ball and making herself available, she was rewarded with a well taken penalty in the 74th minute.

Tahnai Annis scored a brace before Malea Cesar completed the scoring to make it six on an outstanding night for the Philippines.

A good performance as well for starter Carleigh Frilles, who found joy on the right wing and delivered the cross that led to the ladies’ first goal.

Now with seven goals from six different goal scorers, confidence should be high going into the knockout stages.

3. Tahnai Annis: Player of the Match

Rested ahead of this game, Philippine captain Annis put on a magnificent performance in the middle of the park for the Filipinas as she superbly controlled the midfield.

Looking at times like the female Andrea Pirlo, she masterfully marshalled the midfield, as given time and space by the Indonesian defense, she found her teammates with good balls time and again.

On the other end of the spectrum, she used her physicality well as she won many an important battle in the midfield whilst also winning balls in the air.

She then capped off a memorable night with two well-taken long range goals that will live long in the memory.

4. Alen Stajcic’s long haul strategy comes to fore

Good things have been said about Coach Stajcic’s preparation and tactics in the buildup to the tournament.

But Stajcic’s experience in tournament football has also been crucial for the Philippines’ progress so far, more specifically the way he has selected his players depending on the opposition and upcoming games.

Stajcic has rotated his players wisely and has not named the same starting eleven in three group stage games.

His hand may have been hampered by the Covid situation, but reading between his starting elevens, one can take a peek at the strategy taken by the coaching staff.

Guillou and Annis were rested against Australia and both played key roles in the win against Indonesia.

The speedy and crafty Guillou, in particular, has been shining in the tournament albeit playing limited minutes thus far.

Correctly anticipating that Indonesia would not be posing much of a threat going forward, Stajcic rested defensive lynchpin Hali Long, preserving her for the tougher tests ahead.

And with the crucial match against Chinese Taipei looming, Stajcic said he is ready to name his best starting eleven, though he noted that the depth of the team has proven to be a strength.

“The best part about that is it doesn’t matter who’s coming, they’ve done a good job for the team and I don’t think this team has probably ever had that in the past,” says the veteran coach.

“We’ve been able to rotate the squad and maintain such a high level,” he added.

“It’s really a good indication of how far this squad’s progressed.”

One of the team’s hashtags for the tournament is #RemembertheGoal.

Perhaps it is time to make another hashtag trend on social media as well: #InStajWeTrust

5. Philippines on the cusp of the Promised Land

The Philippines are right on the precipice of qualifying outright to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, but so are their opponents, Chinese Taipei.

Beaten by the ‘Mulan’ twice in the Tokyo Olympics qualifiers, the Philippines need no further motivation.

Chinese Taipei are led by the quick #7 Chen Yen-Ping and youthful #19 Su Yu-Hsuan, with the crafty #10 Lee Hsiu-Chin delivering accurate balls from the midfield.

Chinese Taipei will have the advantage of having one extra day’s rest, but they will have used that to travel to Pune for the quarterfinal match, where the Philippines have already been based.

Annis sums up what the ladies need to do.

“We just have to focus on recovering now and doing our best that we can to show up as fresh as possible and study Chinese Taipei and put our best foot forward and make sure we come out swinging,” says Annis.

“It’s 90 mins do or die, and I know that we are up for the task and we've prepared for it and know that we can achieve this.”

Prior to the game against Indonesia, Long said this of their journey thus far: “I think it all becomes personal at this point, personal for ourselves, personal for our team as a whole what we want to show next.”

“It’s all of us rising to the occasion to the magnitude of this tournament and what it means.”

“It’s us taking this chance for Philippine football.”

On the cusp of history, the team is ready, the coaching staff prepared and the nation expectant.

It is time.

—JMB, GMA News