The Philippine women’s national football team notched their second straight win over Taiwan, opening the second round of the 2024 Olympic qualifiers with a 4-1 victory in Perth on Thursday.

Sarina Bolden continued on her sizzling run since the 2023 World Cup, draining a second half brace to dispose the Blue Magpies.

After a goalless first half dominated by the Filipinas in terms attacks on the final third, Taiwan, in the 47th minute, was the first to hit the back of the net with a power strike by midfielder Hsu Yi-Yun off a back pass Lin Hsin-Hui for her first international goal.

The Filipinas, though, was awarded with a penalty six minutes later with Zhuo Li-Ping fouling Meryll Serrano inside Taiwan’s box, leading to a converted spot kick by Bolden.

The Filipinas hardly afforded any shot on goal to the Blue Magpies upon the entry of defensive midfielder Jaclyn Sawicki and right back Alicia Barker, as Sawicki immediately intercepted a back third free kick by Zhuo, which led to a goal by Katrina Guillou off a Tahnai Annis through pass in the 60th minute.

Substitute forward Lee Hsiu-Chin had a chance to tie the game in the 82nd minute but her strike from top of the box hit the top right corner of the goal frame, resulting in a Bolden brace in the next minute off a clearance error by Ting Chia-Ying.

Chandler Mcdaniel, Bolden’s late replacement, capped the Filipinas’ night with a 90th minute goal off a 1-2-3 play with Quinley Quezada and Angie Beard.

Despite vanquishing Taiwan in last year’s Asian Cup to book a World Cup ticket, this was the Filipinas’s first ever win against the Blue Magpies in terms of goals scored and in an Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

The Filipinas lost, 2-4 and 0-5, in the first two rounds of the 2020 OQT against Taiwan.

Furthermore, Bolden has accumulated 29 international goals via tonight’s brace to lead the Filipinas’ all-time scoring list while Guillou and McDaniel have struck their 12th and sixth, respectively.

* * *