The outcome may have been anti-climactic but it should not take away what the Philippine Women’s National Football Team achieved in the 2019 AFF Women’s Championship.
In the match to determine who gets the bronze medal in the regional competition, Let Dimzon’s wards succumbed to Myanmar, 0-3, Tuesday afternoon at the IPE Chonburi Stadium 1 in Thailand.
After a goalless first half, the Filipinas conceded at the 63rd minute after Burmese forward Yee Yee Oo shot past goalie Inna Palacios. The 29-year-old’s strike opened the Philippines’ flood gates as substitute midfielder Nu Nu scored a brace from close range at the 65th and 72nd minutes to make it an emphatic victory for the two-time winners.
With the result, the PWFNT end their campaign with a 3-3 record, which is good enough to earn the country’s maiden semi-finals appearance and highest ever finish in the tournament at 4th place as the team secured victories over Malaysia, Timor Leste and Singapore alongside losses at the hands of Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar.
The next major tournament for the national team is the 2019 South East Asian Games where the Filipinas hope to clinch a podium finish this time around. A bronze medal in 1985 is the Philippines’ greatest ever finish in the SEA Games.
With home advantage on the horizon, it is up to the current batch of players to repeat the feat or improve on it.
Philippines XI: Palacios (GK), Lim, Long, Rodriguez, Dolino, Quezada, Impelido ©, Castaneda, Simarago, Lemoran, Del Campo.
Myanmar XI: May Zin New (GK), Ei Yadanar Phyo, Khin Than Wai, Win Thingi Tun, Khin Mariar Tun ©, Khin Moe Wai, Thin Thin Yu, Chit Chit, May Thu Kyaw, Yee Yee Oo, Zin Zin Naing.
