Filipinas advance to Asian Games football quarterfinals

Philippine women’s football team in the Asian Games. –PWNT/PFF

Sara Eggesvik scored two goals in the second half as the Philippines defeated Myanmar, 3-0, on Thursday to secure a place in the quarterfinals of the Hangzhou Asian Games women’s football competitions at Wenzhou Sports Center Stadium.

Eggesvik pulled off the brace in between the hour mark as the Filipinas dislodged fellow Fifa Women’s World Cup debutant Vietnam to secure one of the three best second placers at the conclusion of the group stage.

Vietnam lost 7-0 to Japan in Group C hours before the match, leaving coach Mark Torcaso’s squad needing any kind of victory against Myanmar to extend its maiden campaign in the continental meet.

The team that helped knockout Vietnam will be the same opponent the Filipinas will face for Saturday’s quarterfinal, still at the Wenzhou pitch.

Japan won all three games in Group D despite having a lineup completely different from the one that made the last eight of the Women’s World Cup last month.

It was also a vengeful result for the Filipinas after losing 1-0 to Myanmar in the opener of their Cambodia Southeast Asian Games stint last May, the result eventually playing a role in their failure to get out of the group stage.

Sarina Bolden extended her hold as the country’s all-time top women’s goalscorer when she struck a penalty in the 19th minute to put the Filipinas ahead.

The referee signaled for the spot after Bolden got fouled by a Burmese defender inside the box, setting up her 25th international goal and third in her Asiad account.

Eggesvik doubled the lead in the 60th, this time reversing roles with Bolden, who headed Jessika Cowart’s long free kick into the midfielder for a right-footed volley into the back of the net.

But it took just a minute before Eggesvik added another goal, sliding a low shot off Meryll Serrano’s pass for the team’s third goal.