The Filipinas opened their 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup campaign with a narrow 1-0 loss to host nation Australia on Sunday at Optus Stadium in Perth.
Sam Kerr, the Matildas’ all-time leading scorer, extended her tally to 70 goals by heading in a cross from Caitlin Foord in the 14th minute.
Despite the defeat, the Filipinas showed resilience, avoiding a repeat of the heavy losses they suffered against Australia in previous tournaments—4-0 in the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and 8-0 in the 2024 Asian Olympic Qualifiers.
With a strong start on home soil, Australia tops Group A with three points.
The Philippines will seek redemption this Thursday against South Korea at Cbus Super Stadium in Gold Coast, with kickoff scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Manila time. Meanwhile, Australia looks to carry its momentum into a later match against Iran at the same venue at 5:00 p.m.
