Malditas yield to Vietnam in ASEAN women’s football tourney

Photo courtesy of Ernie Nierras

The Philippine national women’s football team suffered a huge blow in its campaign, bowing to Vietnam, 4-2, in the 2012 ASEAN Football Federation Women’s Championship Saturday at the Thong Nhat Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Vietnam, the tournament’s 2006 champion, dominated the game early and held a commanding 2-0 lead at halftime after goals at the 17th and the 25th minute.

But the Malditas found glimmers of hope at the start of the second half, as Fil-Am striker Heather Cooke buried a goal in the 53rd minute to trim their deficit to a more manageable one, 2-1.

However, Vietnam shut the comeback chances of the Filipinas just moments after, as the hosts scored in the 61st minute off a free kick, then hit another one in the 67th to take a 4-1 edge.

The Malditas was still able to score late in the game courtesy of Patrice Impelido in the 90th minute. However, that was not enough to overcome Vietnam.

With the loss, the Malditas now have a slim, if not improbable, chance of advancing to the next round. Aside from winning their next game against Singapore, they need to hope for the complications of a triple tie, if it happens, among Myanmar, Singapore and the Philippines to favor the Filipinas. Myanmar and Singapore are still battling each other as of press time.

The Malditas, who failed to get past the group stages in the previous four editions of the tournament, will next face Singapore on Monday.

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