Philippine Malditas nail historic semis berth in AFF Championship

AFF Women’s Championship 2019
FULL-TIME:
🇸🇬 0-4 🇵🇭
⚽️⚽️⚽️ @_shaidelcampo 1' 45' 50'
⚽️ @quinley_quezada 6'#FilipinasFutbol pic.twitter.com/xb3mMmEOc0

— Philippine Football Federation (@philfootball) August 23, 2019

De La Salle star Shai Del Campo delivered a hattrick as the Philippines whipped Singapore, 4-0, Friday night to reach the semifinals of the AFF Women’s Championship for the first time in Chonburi, Thailand.

Two days after wasting a second half lead in the 2-4 defeat to Thailand, the Malditas came out with all guns blazing as they piled the pressure on the Singaporeans early on.

Quinley Quezada, who gave the Filipinos the lead twice against the reigning champion Thais, found the back of the net for the third straight match as she increased her tally to four goals for the tournament with a sixth-minute strike.

Philippine women’s national team. Photo from pff.org

Del Campo, last season’s UAAP Rookie of the Year and Best Striker, fired the opener just seconds into match, before grabbing two more goals in the 45th and 50th minutes.

The Filipinos finished the group stage with nine points, second behind the Thais who are perfect with 12 points. Having topped Group A with nine points, Vietnam will face the Philippines in the last four.

Regardless of the result, the semifinal appearance is already the highest achievement of the team tournament.