Philippine women’s football team known as Filipinas ahead of its friendly game against South Korea. –FILIPINAS PHOTO
The Philippine women’s football team couldn’t sustain its defensive stand and absorbed a 3-0 loss to South Korea in the first of two friendlies between the two nations Friday at Icheon City Stadium.
Choe Yuri, Ji Soyun and Jang Selgi all scored in the second half, leaving the Filipinas reeling after keeping things scoreless for almost a good portion of the match between last year’s participants in the Fifa Women’s World Cup.
Both teams meet again Monday at the same venue to conclude the international window.
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Coach Mark Torcaso has lost all four matches this year, all against superior teams which the Filipinas want to face in a bid to gear themselves up for big events in 2025, namely the AFF Women’s Championship and the Thailand Southeast Asian Games.
It was the closest the Filipinas have ever gone to getting a positive result against South Korea, which has beaten them by convincing margins in the semifinals of the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and last year’s Hangzhou Asian Games group stage.
A miscue by Jessika Cowart opened the door for South Korea as her weak back pass intended for goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel allowed Choe to take advantage and put the hosts on top.
Ji followed it up with a free kick to the far side of the post to double South Korea before Jang added third later in the match.
Torcaso put mostly the Filipinas veterans in his starting 11, namely McDaniel, Sarina Bolden, Hali Long, Cowart, Quinley Quezada, Tahnai Annis and Sofia Harrison.
Rhea Chan, based in the United States, also started in her debut appearance wearing the Filipinas shirt.
Chan was later replaced in the second half by Cathrine Graversen, who last played for the Philippines in the 2019 SEA Games.