Philippine football should be partying like it’s 2010.
Eleven years and a month after the Azkals’ breakthrough win versus Vietnam in 2010, it’s the Malditas’ turn to inaugurate their golden era as the Philippine women’s national football team, for the first time in history, defeated Southeast Asian powerhouse and 2019 World Cup finalist Thailand, 1-0, in the opener of the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup Friday in Mumbai.
And just like how the Younghusband brothers from the men’s squad weaved their magic to make the Azkals competitive beyond Southeast Asia, the Malditas have found their new leaders in sisters Chandler and Olivia McDaniel.
The forward Chandler scored the winning goal of the match at the 81st minute, barreling in a monstrous strike just outside the penalty box that scalded the hands of veteran goalkeeper Waraporn Boonsing.
Boonsing, on her 156th cap for Thailand, made perhaps the biggest mistake of her career by momentarily catching McDaniel’s shot but, like holding a hot potato, dropping the ball inside the Malditas’ goal.
It was McDaniel’s second international goal on her third cap for the Philippines.
Thailand tried to tie the game two minutes later but goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel, on her first start, saved two successive long shots from Pikul Khueanpet and Miranda Nild.
The reinvigorated Malditas, playing for the first time under ex-Australia national team coach Alen Stajcic, played stonewall defense and aggressive offense from the opening whistle, stymying Thailand’s deliberate ball movement.
Thailand only had one shot on goal in the first half off a set shot from Silawan Intamee that was saved by McDaniel.
The Philippines had three chances to score and even sank a shot from defender Katrina Guillou but she was caught offside.
Gillou’s next chance was off a counterattack but her running strike caught the cross bar.
At the tailend of the first half, center back Hali Long babied a shot off a free kick from Chandler McDaniel for a 0-0 half.
It was Quinley Quezada’s turn to attack in the second half but her running cross and counterattacking strike were both blocked by Boonsing.
Nild and Orapin Waenggoen had their runs but their attacks were blocked by Olivia McDaniel and Riley Bugay.
All of Thailand’s attempt at set plays, having six corner kicks and several chances, were all foiled by the stingy defense of Long, Bugay, the debuting center back Dominique Randle, and left back Sofia Harrison while Olivia McDaniel made perfect decisions in saving Thailand’s attacks.
All of those defensive efforts led to the historic goal of Chandler McDaniel, who gave all her might from her tank-like frame to score past three Thai defenders, past the hands of Boonsing.
That goal lifted the Malditas, ranked 64 in the world, to their first-ever win against world number 38 Thailand, Southeast Asia’s long-time top women’s football team.
It has also virtually guaranteed the Malditas a ticket to the Asian Cup semifinals and a chance at qualifying for the 2023 World Cup.
However, they have to make a serious challenge against reigning runner-up and world number 11 Australia Matildas, the team previously coached and developed by Stajcic, on Monday and a win against hapless Indonesia next Thursday.
Earlier, the Matildas massacred Indonesia, 18-0, and were just three goals short of their biggest win in team history.
-GAD
