Filipinas end goal drought but lose anew in South Korea friendly

Filipinas during a friendly with South Korea in Incheon.–FILIPINAS PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Angie Beard broke the Philippine women’s football team’s goal drought with a sensational free kick in the second half that served as a silver lining in the 2-1 international friendly loss to South Korea on Monday in Icheon.

Beard struck in the 74th minute, kicking it over a wall of defenders from about 30 yards that enabled the Filipinas to cut the deficit after conceding twice in the first half of the contest held at Icheon Sports Complex.

The Filipinas, however, couldn’t add to Beard’s goal and dropped another match against their fellow participant in last year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup.

Coach Mark Torcaso’s side lost 3-0 in the first of two friendlies between the two nations last Friday.

But Torcaso is hoping that significant progress was made in the two games, as the Filipinas now begin the process of finding more friendlies in succeeding windows with no major tournaments slated for the rest of the year.

READ: Lull in big tilts chance for Filipinas to establish real identity

South Korea got the lead less than a minute into the second meeting on a goal from Choo Hyo-joo before Choe Yu-ri added a second for the hosts in the 33rd.

Torcaso made some changes in the starting 11, with Sarina Bolden not even in uniform for the Filipinas and captain Tahnai Annis being placed on the bench.

Chandler McDaniel and Katrina Guillou replaced both players to join Quinley Quezada, Rhea Chan, Sofia Harrison, Beard, Carleigh Frilles, Sara Eggesvik, Jessika Cowart, Olivia McDaniel and Hali Long, who wore the captain’s armband.

Reina Bonta took the place of Chandler McDaniel to open the second half while U-17 standout Nina Mathelus came on for Frilles in the 84th.