By: Icko de Guzman
On a night when Hali Long earned her 101st cap for the Philippines, the Philippine Women’s National Football Team rose to the occasion once again, edging Vietnam 6–5 in a dramatic penalty shootout to claim their first-ever gold medal at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday, December 17, at the Chonburi Daikin Stadium in Chonburi, Thailand.
The Filipinas captain calmly converted her spot kick in the shootout before goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel sealed the historic triumph, denying Than Tri Thu with a championship-clinching save.
The gold medal not only marked the Philippines’ breakthrough on the regional stage but also represented the culmination of a relentless pursuit, built on belief and resilience.
“We never wanted to end on a loss — we were either going to win bronze or we were going to win gold,” said Long.
“We gave ourselves no choice. The gold was ours for the taking, and we weren’t going to lose our first game just to lose in the end.”
A 2–1 opening-day defeat to Myanmar nearly pushed the Filipinas toward another early exit, but the team responded with resolve.
They stunned Vietnam 1–0, then dismantled Malaysia 6–0, and survived a 4–2 penalty shootout against hosts Thailand in the semifinals — before prevailing once more in the shootout against Vietnam in the final.
“We dug ourselves out of a hole,” added the Kaya FC–Iloilo defender.
“We fought, we crawled, and we did everything in our power to get to the semifinals, reach the finals, and finish the job.”
With the final ending scoreless after regulation and extra time, Long felt confident heading into penalties, crediting the composure of rising star Jael-Marie Guy, who scored a crucial equalizer against Thailand and converted in both shootouts.
“As soon as we went to penalties, I knew it was ours,” Long said.
“Watching one of the youngest players step up in those moments, after extra time, under that pressure, Jael just rose above everything. Even when she sings the national anthem, it calms me.”
In the end, the Filipinas’ breakthrough gold was the product of the team’s collective effort, forged through years of heartbreak and triumph on the pitch.
“This is what we asked for,” Long expressed.
“If this is what it takes to win gold, we’re going to do it. We’ll step up, take every penalty again and again, and finish on top.”
#WATCH: WE WERE NOT GOING OUT WITH A LOSS 🥇
Filipinas skipper Hali Long talks about their mindset throughout #SEAGames2025 🇵🇭⚽#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/hxNCGAUiun
📹 Pam Puri/Tiebreaker Times#LabanFilipinas pic.twitter.com/Sr5kTNmDSL
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) December 17, 2025
