For a fleeting moment of hope, an entire nation stood on its feet in boisterous jubilation after Katrina Guillou rocketed the ball to the net with yet another killer running attack from a long ball.
Goal! 1-0 in the scoreboard! A dream start for the Filipinas in their FIFA World Cup debut just within 16 minutes in their opener against world number 20 Switzerland.
On the contrary, it was heartbreak. In several camera angles, three-fourth of Guillou’s body was ahead defender Noelle Maritz—a clear offside.
Goal, not! It was the most painful “not joke” for a squad aiming to belong.
Switzerland thereafter sank two goals to down the Philippines, 2-0, to kickstart their 2023 FIFA World Cup campaign in Dunedin on Friday afternoon.
Recovering from that early scare by Guillou, the Swiss found composure by dominating possessions with their slow but methodical buildup plays, forcing the Filipinas to play a defensive 5-3-2 formation.
By the tailend of the first half, veteran winger Ramona Bachmann of PSG fame stamped a penalty kick to the extreme left of the goal for her 58th international goal.
The freebie came after Filipina sweeper Jessika Cowart fouled striker Coumba Sow in the 45th minute with an inadvertent kick on the latter’s leg during a loose ball slip inside the box.
In the 65th minute, newcomer Seraina Peubel found Switzerland’s second goal on the second rebound, gathering Olivia McDaniel’s block of Sow for her second goal in just her sixth cap.
While seeking to score by returning to a 4-4-2 formation in the second half, the Filipinas had more possessions but were lacking in the final third, save for an off-target shot by wing-back Sofia Harrison in the 85th minute, which was the Filipinas’ best chance in the game.
Earlier, forward Sarina Bolden had an off-target header in the second minute while captain Hali Long’s strike off a set piece was blocked by Maritz in the 26th minute.
Still, the Filipinas evidently showed that they belong to the world’s biggest stage in all of sports, with a narrow result against a team that went past the group stage in the 2015 edition.
“I think we started pretty strong, we made things pretty difficult for them. We were popping into spaces and covering lots of the gaps and I think it was good,” Guillou commented after the game.
“Definitely looking on getting to the scoreboard for sure, this time,” she assured, alluding the nationals’ next game versus co-host New Zealand on Tuesday.
The Kiwis earlier vanquished former world champions Norway yesterday, 1-0, for their first ever World Cup win in both women and men’s side.
With today’s result, Switzerland zooms past New Zealand to top the Group A with a +1 advantage on goal difference while the Filipinas are at last place.
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