Football
Malditas wallop Singapore to end ASEAN women’s football campaign
Photo courtesy of Ernie Nierras
The Philippine national women’s football team drubbed Singapore, 7-2, to end its campaign in the 2012 ASEAN Football Federation Women’s Championship Monday at the Thong Nhat Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Fil-Am striker Heather Cooke led the Malditas attack after scoring three goals to bag a hat trick, while Abby Komarc, Patrice Impelido, Marice Magdolot and Samantha Nierras each contributed one goal apiece for the Philippines.
The Malditas jumped the gun early, scoring goals in the 19th and the 37th minute to take a comfortable 2-0 lead at halftime.
The Filipinas continued their rampage at the start of the second half, hitting the back of the net in the 56th and the 58th minute to grab a 4-0 edge.
The Singaporeans, however, avoided a goalless score after burying a shot in the 71st minute.
Both squads then engaged in a furious exchange of goals, as the Malditas nailed a goal in the 76th minute before the Singaporeans answered quickly in the counterattack and scored in the 77th minute.
But the Filipinas pounded the opposition further, scoring off a penalty kick in the 86th minute and firing a goal in the 92nd minute to settle the final score.
Despite the victory, Malditas still failed to advance to the next round, only settling for third place after losing to the group’s two best teams – Myanmar in a 3-0 defeat last Thursday and Vietnam in a 4-2 loss last Saturday. Only the top two teams from the bracket will advance to the crossover semifinals of the tournament.
With their early exit, the Malditas continue their disappointing performance in the competition, failing to get past the group stages for the previous five editions of the tournament.
