As the clock wound down and tension gripped Chonburi Stadium, the Philippine Women’s National Football Team’s hopes of reaching the semifinals of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games seemed to be slipping away.
Locked in a tight battle against Vietnam on Monday — and knowing that only a win would keep their campaign alive — the Filipinas desperately searched for a breakthrough.
Then, in a moment of pure grit and instinct, Mallie Ramirez delivered.
“Obviously, I feel very proud and excited to do this for my country first of all,” said Ramirez, who now has two goals in as many matches in the SEA Games.
Her strike was monumental. Not only did it give the Philippines its first three points in Group B, but it also stunned Vietnam, the four-time defending champion of the tournament.
For the University of Nevada, Las Vegas standout, the moment was all instinct. Ramirez pounced in the 90+4’ mark, just when it seemed the match would end in a stalemate. She recalled the split-second decision that led to her game-winning strike:
“Similar to my first goal in our first game against Myanmar, I saw that ball heading toward Hali (Long) in the box and I saw that I needed to go to that space in the front post, possibly waiting for the keeper to wobble with the ball so that I could be at that right moment in the right time to capitalize.”
With the country’s first win secured, head coach Mark Torcaso lauded his team’s resilience and tactical discipline — qualities that proved crucial in outlasting Vietnam.
“There is a group of players here willing to fight very hard for our country, and their age doesn’t matter,” he said. “They’re here fighting hard. We planned exactly how the game panned out — to be very resilient and strong in defense, and then hopefully we can score from a set-piece. It worked out that way and thankfully, Mallie was on the end of the goal.”
The Australian mentor also emphasized the promise of a growing, youthful core, with 11 players aged 23 and below.
“I want to just explain that there’s a good group of players here for the future of our country. We have a number of 18-23-year-olds in this group and it’s an exciting time for our country not just for the Asian Cup but beyond it.”
Up next, the final Group B matchday on Thursday will see the Philippines face Malaysia while Vietnam battles Myanmar simultaneously.
For the Filipinas, advancing to the semifinals requires a win over the winless Harimau Malaya — and a favorable result in the other fixture.
A simple victory might not be enough if Vietnam beats Myanmar, as the Golden Star Women Warriors hold a superior goal difference (+6) compared to the Filipinas (0). A lopsided win could prove decisive.
Still, Torcaso remained confident, buoyed by Ramirez’s late heroics that kept their semifinal hopes alive.
“I’m excited that I’m here with them right now, and I hope we go into the next part of this competition because I believe we’ll be very tough to beat,” he said.
#WATCH: BIG WIN
Filipina heroine Mallie Ramirez talks about her goal at the death that stunned Vietnam 🇵🇭⚽#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/qfX45LodO9
📹 Pam Puri/Tiebreaker Times #LabanFilipinas #SEAGames2025 pic.twitter.com/b6ONWikCmz
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) December 8, 2025
