Historic double semis for PH in SEA Games football as Filipinas blanks Malaysia

CHONBURI – The Philippine women's national football team, surviving the 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games with a late goal against Vietnam the last game and needing a big win on the final match day, erased all doubts and barged into the SEA Games women's football semifinals with a 6-0 rout of Malaysia here.

With this resounding win, the Filipinas completed a double semis for Philippine football in the most prestigious sporting event in the region, with the Philippine men's national football team earlier achieving the feat with a 1-0 win against Indonesia last Monday.

Philippine Football Federation (PFF) President John Anthony Gutierrez, who watched the match alongside the Filipino contingent at the IPE Chonburi Stadium, highlighted the historic significance of the feat.

“We are witnessing Philippine football carve its place in history,” Gutierrez said. “For the first time, both our men’s and women’s teams have reached the semifinals in the same SEA Games. This is a testament to years of collective effort, belief, and commitment from everyone in our football community. Moments like this define eras, and we are proud to share it with the entire nation.”

Teenage phenom Alexa Pino towed the country with a hat-trick, with Jessika Cowart, Ari Markey, and Anicka Castañeda adding three more.

The match opened with the Filipinas asserting control over possession but finding limited openings in the attacking third as Malaysia sat deep and defended in numbers. The breakthrough finally came at the stroke of halftime.

In the 45th minute, 18-year-old winger Alexa Pino pounced on a rebound after Malaysian goalkeeper Ezza Ashikin parried Meryll Serrano’s driving shot from a quick counterattack. Pino reacted fastest to the loose ball, slotting it home to give the Philippines a

1-0 lead heading into the break and relieve mounting pressure on the squad. The second half saw the Filipinas immediately elevate their tempo and efficiency in the final third.

In the 54th minute, Pino—one of the standouts of the Filipinas U17 pipeline—doubled the advantage when she punished Tegen Butler’s failed headed clearance. Sara Eggesvik sent a high, looping delivery from the top left, and Pino met the loose ball cleanly to score her second of the match.

Thirteen minutes later, the Philippines struck again. Off a free kick taken by Pino from the left wing, the Malaysian backline failed to clear, resulting in a congested scramble inside the box. Defender Jessika Cowart stayed composed amid the chaos and knocked in her third international goal to make it 3-0.

Momentum remained firmly with the Filipinas as relentless pressure forced another Malaysian mistake.

In the 69th minute, Eusvewana Kadius clipped Eggesvik inside the penalty area, prompting the referee to point to the spot. Pino calmly stepped up in the 70th minute and converted, completing her hat-trick and securing her fifth senior international goal—a milestone performance that further underscored her growing influence on the national team.

The Philippines added a fifth goal in the 85th minute through another rising talent. Teenager Ariana Markey, also a product of the Filipinas U17 system and making only her early appearances with the senior squad, found the back of the net for the first time in her seniors stint off Cowart's free kick on the far left, which bounced twice on the heads of Eggesvik and Hali Long down to Markey's legs.

Deep into stoppage time, the Filipinas capped the night with a sixth goal. In the 90+6th minute, Ashikin mishandled a clearance, spilling the ball directly into the path of veteran midfielder Anicka Castañeda. From outside the box, Castañeda fired a composed strike that sealed the emphatic win—her first goal for the national team since the 2022 ASEAN Women’s Championship, also against Malaysia—bringing her international tally to 12.

Filipinas head coach Mark Torcaso praised both the collective achievement and the growth of the squad. “It’s been really exciting because there are a lot of players here that have been through the system for the last two years,” he said. “There are a lot of good young players coming through with our experienced girls. To do this with this group and get into the semifinals of the SEA Games is outstanding.”

Torcaso added that the qualification carries broader importance. “We didn’t make the last SEA Games semifinal, so to do this now feels really special. It also helps with our preparations for the Asian Cup—playing a lot of games in a short amount of time. While we want to win a medal here, this is also fantastic preparation for the young players who are getting regular minutes.”

Torcaso also lauded Pino’s breakout performance. “Pino is a special player. She’s the future of our country, along with Jael Guy, Ari Markey, Bella Pasion.”

For her part, Pino described the match as a test of patience and composure. “Sometimes [football] is a funny sport,” she said. “We kept creating chances but they just weren’t falling for us. Once we got the first one, we went into the second half with momentum, got the next goal, and it just didn’t stop. It felt very good.”

Looking ahead to Thailand, she welcomed the challenge. “I’m going to play the same way I always play, and I’ll tell them to bring it. If I’m marked by a few players, that means open space for my teammates to shine.”

She also reflected on what the moment meant to her. “It’s amazing. It’s a privilege to wear this jersey and represent our country and our flag. I’m happy I can make my family and our country proud because at the end of the day, that’s what this is for.”

Castañeda, who marked her return from injury with her late goal, was emotional about her comeback. “Praise God that I was able to make it back to the team,” she said. “I’m super thankful and grateful. It’s been a while, so I’m just super happy to be back and represent the Country.”

She emphasized the weight of the moment. “Even just to be part of the lineup is a great privilege. Here, you’re playing for the country. The value is bigger. My experience with Kaya, including the Champions League and everything they did to help with my surgery and rehab, helped me get back to playing.”

Buoyed by this dominant victory, the Filipinas now advance to the semifinals and will face host nation Thailand on Sunday, December 14, at 7:30 PM at the Chonburi Stadium. PFF encourages fans to continue rallying behind both the men’s and women’s squads,

and the women’s national futsal team debuting tomorrow afternoon, as they pursue historic finishes in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games.