By: Icko de Guzman
Reaching 100 international appearances is a milestone in itself.
Achieving it on the semifinal stage of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games made it even sweeter for Filipinas captain and defender Hali Long.
The Philippines’ skipper joined an elite club on Sunday night, earning her 100th international cap in the Philippines’ dramatic 4-2 penalty shootout victory over hosts Thailand, sending the team to their first-ever SEA Games gold medal match.
It was a surreal moment for Long, who now joins Azkals legends Phil and James Younghusband as centurions for the country.
“We reached our goal of making the final,” said Long. “Now our goal is to win our last game. There’s always stuff to work on after a match, but right now we’re just going to enjoy this feeling, something we’ve never had before.
“I’ve come this far watching this team grow, develop, and change. It’s something I wouldn’t trade for the world, and I couldn’t have done it without my teammates who’ve been there every step of the way.”
Long’s journey with the Filipinas has been nothing short of historic.
Since making her debut in 2016, she has witnessed — and helped lead — the team through multiple breakthroughs: qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup and winning the AFF Women’s Championship on home soil in 2022, claiming a landmark World Cup victory over hosts New Zealand in 2023, and now standing on the brink of a historic first SEA Games gold medal.
“I’m really grateful to everyone who’s been there, the management who’ve watched my journey, and especially my family,” added the University of Arkansas at Little Rock alum.
Still, the job is far from finished for Long and the Filipinas, who last tasted SEA Games success with a bronze medal in the 2021 edition. They will face Vietnam in the gold medal match on Wednesday, December 17, at Chonburi Stadium.
“We have one last game to go, and we plan to end this tournament with a win,” said Long.
“It will be tough. Vietnam are the reigning champions, and we beat them in the group stage. They’re going to come for us, and we’re going to be even harder to break down this time. It’s one last game, and we plan to leave it all on the pitch.”
