Japan boots Filipinas out of Asian Games with 8-1 romp

The Philippine women's national football team's historic Asian Games run ended in the quarterfinals.

This, after Japan netted eight goals to blast the Philippines, 8-1, in their quarterfinal encounter and eliminate them from medal contention in the 19th Asian Games on a rainy Saturday night, September 30, at the Wenzhou Sports Centre Stadium.

The attack-oriented Nadeshiko side ran riot in the second half after putting seven goals past the defensive-minded Filipinas, ending the latter's maiden Asiad appearance in the quarterfinals.

Mami Euno led the world number eight off the bench with four goals, Remina Chiba had a brace, and Momoko Tanikawa and Haruka Osawa added a goal each.

Japan remained undefeated in four matches, scoring 32 goals while conceding only once against fellow 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup participant, the Philippines.

Sarina Bolden, the country's lone World Cup goalscorer in its debut, registered her fourth goal in the Asiad with a header to snap the Japanese's four-game clean sheet record, including an 8-0 blanking of 31st-ranked Argentina in an international friendly last September 23.

The Filipinas' defense took a major blow when team captain Hali Long was ejected from the pitch after receiving a red card after pushing a counter-attacking Chiba in the 27th minute.

Down to 10 players, the valiant Mark Torcaso's side kept the match scoreless, not until Isabella Pasion committed a handball inside the box in the 39th, with Tanikawa converting her penalty kick to give Japan a one-nil lead at the half.

Osawa began the strong Nadeshiko assault in the second half after Bolden was dispossessed of the ball in the 58th before Chiba tripled the lead seven minutes later, 3-0.

Paying for her mistake earlier, Bolden headed home the Filipinas' lone goal from a well-placed corner kick of Sara Eggesvik.

This marked Bolden's 26th goal for the senior national team but that proved to be the only bright spot for the Philippines as Japan was far from stopping in finding the back of the net.

Euno, a substitute, completed a hat-trick within six minutes after listing her first in the 76th before adding two more goals in the 78th and 81st for a 6-1 scoreline.

Before the final whistle, goals kept coming, with Euno listing her fourth in the 91st before Osawa's 94th-minute strike.

Japan advanced to the semifinals and will battle host China – defeated Thailand in another quarterfinal pairing, 4-0 – for a ticket to the gold medal match.

Meanwhile, North Korea beat South Korea, 4-1, to arrange their clash with Uzbekistan in the semifinal round. The Uzbeks outlasted Chinese Taipei via a 2-1 squeaker.

Coming in the match as the heavy underdog, Torcaso reshuffled her starting lineup as usual starters Katrina Guillou, Reina Bonta, Jessika Cowart, and Quinley Quezada became unavailable due to club commitments.

The newly-appointed Australian mentor inserted Pasion and Kaya Hawkinson in the starting eleven, as well as Chandler McDaniel, who came as a sub in the last two fixtures.

In his first acid test as Filipinas tactician, Torcaso helped the Philippines reach the quarterfinals in its maiden Asiad appearance.

It was also the first time a Philippine football team reached the QF round since the men's team in Tokyo 1958.

Torcaso and his wards made it to the knockout stage after finishing as the third-best second-place team in the group stages.

They finished runner-up in Group E behind with two wins against Hong Kong (3-1) and Myanmar (3-0) and a defeat to South Korea's Taegeuk Ladies, who demolished them, 5-1.

Up next for the Philippines is the second round of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Asian Football Confederation (AFC) teams in October, with the Filipinas bunched in Group A, alongside World Cup semifinalist Australia, Chinese Taipei, and Iran.