The Filipinas needed a defensive slip-up to save their opening match at the 20th Asian Games, and they got exactly that.
Natalie Collins pounced on a lackadaisical Uzbekistan back line in the 89th minute to salvage a 1-1 draw at Gifu Nagaragawa Stadium in Japan, doing it in her senior national team debut no less.
Collins’ Effort Saves Day for Filipinas
The 19-year-old substitute out of Boise State stripped the ball off defender Umida Zoirova and slotted it into the left post for the equalizer, rescuing a point the Philippines looked set to lose. Uzbekistan had taken the lead in the 81st minute through Mehribon Egamberdieva, and for most of the closing stretch, it looked like that goal would hold up. Collins had other ideas, and the Filipinas caught a genuinely fortunate break to walk away from Group G’s opening match with something to show for it.
Goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel did plenty to keep the match level before that late drama unfolded, turning in a strong performance with seven saves prior to conceding Egamberdieva’s goal.
A draw isn’t the ideal start, but it isn’t a disastrous one either, and the Filipinas now turn their attention to Hong Kong on Thursday before closing out the group stage against China the following Monday. Both matches carry real weight for a team that will want considerably more control over its own fate than it had in the final minutes on Monday.
