Filipinas absorb 8-0 Australia decimation as Paris bid takes big hit
2023-Oct-30 13:00
2024-Jul-15 01:46
PHOTO: PFF/PWNT/Neil Bravo
From start to finish, it was all Matildas.
The Philippine women's national football team suffered a humbling 8-0 blanking from host Australia, as their qualification bid for the 2024 Paris Olympics took a huge blow in the second round of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Olympic Football Qualifying Tournament.
Coming off a rousing 4-1 victory over Chinese Taipei, the Filipinas couldn't do anything against the mighty Australians at the jam-packed Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday, October 29, for a one-win, one-loss record in Group A with a -5 goal difference (GD).
The Matildas, on the other hand, improved to a 2-0 record while boasting a commanding +10 GD. A draw against the Taiwanese side is enough to send them to the next phase.
On the other hand, the Southeast Asian country must defeat Iran by a sizeable margin and hope North Korea and Uzbekistan lose or draw their last fixtures to become the best runner-up team.
Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord had hat-trick performances, while Mary Fowler and Clare Wheeler added a goal apiece for the 11th-ranked nation.
Fowler opened the floodgates for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup fourth place in the 15th minute before Kerr, Australia's all-time leading scorer, doubled the lead four minutes later.
Foord, an Arsenal forward, netted back-to-back goals in the 30th and 34th minute for a four-nil Australia lead, then Kerr found the back of the net again for her second two minutes into first-half added time.
Despite amassing a 5-0 advantage, the Matildas continued to pound the Filipinas, and Chelsea's Kerr completed her hat-trick at the 46th-minute mark.
Ten minutes after, it was Foord's turn to complete hers as she struck her third goal before Wheeler made it eight in the 72nd.
Australia dominated Mark Torcaso's wards in every aspect of the match.
The Matildas held 77% of the ball while not letting the Philippines' goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel rest by taking 22 shots, with 12 of those on target. They completed 723 passes with 86% accuracy in contrast to the Filipinas' 227 on 51% accuracy.
The Filipinas take on Iran on Wednesday, November 1, as they try to stay in the hunt for an Olympic slot.