Philippines vs Chile in a football friendly. –CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The Philippine women’s football team fell short this time against Chile, 1-0, in their second meeting held Wednesday (Manila time) at the Estadio Municipal de La Pintana in Santiago.
Chances to make up for conceding a Karen Araya goal in the first half and the booking of Sara Eggesvik that reduced the squad to 10 players went futile as the Filipinas absorbed defeat in the Chilean capital.
It was the final friendly of the Chile camp for coach Alen Stajcic’s squad as part of ongoing preparations for next year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup.
The Philippines nearly took the first match three days prior in Vina del Mar but settled for a 1-1 tie when Chile cancelled out Hali Long’s first half opener with an equalizer late in the contest.
Sarina Bolden, Quinley Quezada and Eva Madarang were among the changes Stajcic made in the starting lineup compared to the previous match.
Araya scored in the 24th minute as she was unmarked by the Philippine defense which allowed her to convert the goal past keeper Olivia McDaniel.
Eggesvik was sent off with a second yellow card in the second half, to the chagrin of the Filipinas who were arguing for a handball during the sequence inside the box.
Her loss didn’t deter the Filipinas from threatening to equalize, with Bella Flanigan nearly making Chile pay for a goalkeeping howler only for her tight-angled attempt to miss the mark.