Filipinas’ Paris Olympics bid takes big hit with loss to Aussies

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippines suffered a big setback in its quest to progress further in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament after an 8-0 loss to host Australia in their second round match held Sunday before more than 59,000 fans in Perth.

Hopes of a stunning result disappeared after the Matildas put on a scoring rampage early in the first half led by star striker Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord, who shared the major role in the victory by each scoring a hat trick.

Mary Fowler’s opener in the 15th minute set the tone for a one-sided affair while substitute Clare Wheeler accounted for Australia’s other goal which came in the second half.

Coach Mark Torcaso and the Filipinas didn’t even get an opportunity to make a clear attempt at goal, failing to score in a game for the first time since the Aussie charge in August.

And the result has put the Philippines in a precarious situation going into the final Group A match on Wednesday against Iran for a chance to at least sneak the best second place spot from the three groups.

The Filipinas are in second place with still three points, but now have a goal difference of -5, which would make their bid to advance to the final round of qualifiers even tougher.

Australia broke the ice as Fowler scored a right-footed attempt off a one-touch pass from Foord, a goal that usher in a nightmarish afternoon of football for the Philippines.

Kerr, who was finally put in the starting lineup after coming in off the bench against Iran, got her first off another assist from Foord four minutes later that doubled the Matildas lead.

Foord finally put herself in the goalscoring tally when the Arsenal striker fired twice in a space of three minutes in the 30th and 33rd. Then Kerr extended the Matildas lead with two scores in between the first half injury time and a minute into the second half to make it 6-0.

A third goal from Foord in the 56th made it 7-0 for Australia before Wheeler added another for the Matildas in the 72nd.