The Philippine Women’s National Football Team suffered its first defeat at the 20th Asian Games, falling 5‑1 to China on Monday afternoon.
Already assured of a quarterfinal berth before kickoff, the Filipinas entered the match hoping to secure a favorable result against China and potentially finish on top of Group G.
China immediately showed its quality, applying pressure on the Philippine defense. Wang Yanwen broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, rising to head the ball past goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel.
The Chinese side continued to control the match, with Wang finding the net again in the 40th minute to give China a 2‑0 advantage at halftime.
China Pulls Away After Halftime
The Filipinas struggled to contain China after the restart as the Steel Roses quickly extended their lead.
Chen Qiaozhu scored from close range in the 49th minute before Wang completed her hat trick five minutes later, heading in her third goal to put China ahead 4‑0.
Despite the deficit, the Filipinas continued looking for opportunities to respond. Mallie Ramirez tested Chinese goalkeeper Xiao Zitong in the 56th minute, forcing a difficult save.
The Philippines finally found its breakthrough in the 65th minute.
Katrina Guillou delivered a corner kick into the box, with Skye Leach getting the decisive touch to send the ball into the net. It was Leach’s second goal of the Asian Games and gave the Filipinas a much‑needed consolation goal.
Filipinas Attempt to Push for Another Goal
The goal provided the Philippines with renewed energy as the Filipinas became more aggressive going forward.
Sofia Wunsch nearly added another four minutes later, but her volley went wide. Alessandrea Carpio also came close in the 77th minute when her point‑blank header was stopped by the Chinese goalkeeper.
China, however, remained dangerous until the final whistle and eventually restored its four‑goal advantage during stoppage time.
Yuan Cong capitalized on a poor defensive clearance in the second minute of added time to complete the 5‑1 victory for China.
Filipinas to Face Japan in the Quarterfinals
Despite the heavy defeat, the Filipinas still advanced to the quarterfinals after finishing among the two best third‑placed teams.
The result, combined with Uzbekistan’s 2‑1 victory over Hong Kong, dropped the Philippines to third place in Group G with four points from one win, one draw, and one loss. China topped the group with a perfect record, while Uzbekistan moved into second place with five points.
“This was an interesting game for us because we’ve never been in a position where we are playing in the last game in a group where we already know we’re advancing in the quarterfinals,” head coach Mark Torcaso said in the post‑match press conference.
The Filipinas will now face the winner of Group E, hosts Japan, in the quarterfinals on Friday, Sept. 25, at Shizuoka Stadium in Fukuroi.
