๐๐ถ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป
The Philippines shattered Saudi Arabia's ironclad defense, coasting to a dominating 3-0 win in Group G of the AFC Womenโs Asian Cup qualifiers opening in Cambodia, yesterday.
Meryll Serano led the blitzing triumph with her early offensive firepower, coupled with the team's late defensive tenacity to fold the game with their name on it.
10 minutes into the game, the national team is already bombarding Saudi's post, unloading an early series of hits to put the Filipinas on the back foot.
They stayed in rhythm and doubled down at the 16' mark when Serrano turned up her defensive screws, picking the pocket of her mark to convert an opener for Sawicki.
But the green-clad squad wouldn't crack under fire as they denied multiple scoring threats from Filipinas in the early minutes of the second half.
However, the Filipinas' flame is far from out after Serrano netted a guarded shot from the penalty area in the 55' to stretch their advantage to 2-0.
Saudi Arabia's Al-Dossary then started to switch gears as she rejected Filipinas' rampage with her crucial saves, making it hard for Pinas women to knock down their third.
The Filipinas then let Saudi Arabia taste their own medicine, flaunting their own defensive prowess to uncork yet another point from Pino off to a sliding defender.
Saudi's Ibrahim refused to give up, but his last desperate solo sprinting attempt came up empty after it was swatted down by Tolentino.
The Filipinas get the full three points and begin their campaign for a spot in the AFC Womenโs Asian Cup in Australia next year on a high note.
