by Kevin Estrada
Poland and Argentina scored emphatic victories to kick off the inaugural edition of the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City, Friday evening.
Flexing their credentials in front of more than two thousand in attendance, both squads took care of business with their respective 6-0 results against the hosts Philippines and Morocco in Group A play, ahead of their crucial encounter on November 24.
After that, the Filipinas’ hopes of making it to the knockout stage became slim, as they had to take on the Atlas Lionesses in a must-win encounter.
Ana Ontiveros etched her name into the record books as the first-ever goal scorer of the tournament, with the winger finding the back of the net 15 minutes into the contest.
Nicolas Noriega’s Albiceleste then hit three more in as many minutes, with Agostinia Chiesa, Mailen Romero and Luciana Natta on the scoresheet for a 4-0 halftime lead.
In the second half, Lara Villalba (21’), and Julia Dupuy (29’) tacked on two more for the final count as the sixth-ranked Albiceleste showed their title credentials straight away.
In the main event, the 14th-ranked Orlice (Lady Eagles) were too much for Rafa Merino’s Filipina5 to handle, with Julia Basta in the limelight with a brace.
The Nowy Świt Górzno standout opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a stinging shot that trickled out of Samantha Hughes’ grasp.
Poland then took a 2-0 lead a minute before halftime as Basta found Natalia Matuszewska who made no mistake for a tap-in.
Then, a seven-minute stretch saw the Poles score in four more to put the match beyond doubt for a side that is the third-best European side that qualified for the tournament.
Julia Szostak then converted on a Klaudia Kubaszek’ cross from the right wing in the 23rd minute, and then Basta completed her double barely a minute later after a rebound from Matuszewska’s initial effort.
Just six minutes into the second half, Tuloy’s Lanie Ortillo was the unfortunate one that logged in the maiden own goal of the competition, after turning in Kubaszek’s long distance effort into her own net.
At the half-hour mark, Klaudia Dyminska tapped to culminate the chaos inside the box.
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