Filipinas after defeating Vietnam in the 2022 AFF Women’s Football Championship.
MANILA, Philippines – Coach Alen Stajcic described the Philippines’ 4-0 defeat to Vietnam that sent the host country to the final of the ASEAN Women’s Football Championship (AFF) as a performance like no other.
Filipinas drew a no semi-final results in front of a crowd of 3,233 at Rizal Memorial Stadium on Friday after a superb performance that included goals from Hali Long and Tahnai Annis followed by a brace from Sarina Bolden.
“A complete performance,” Stajcic said in a post-match interview. “It was probably the best performance the Philippine women’s team has ever had in international football.”
Stacked odds Stajcic’s team entered the competition after the Philippines failed to win Group A and having to play a lighter opponent than Myanmar when it lost 0-1 to Thailand last Tuesday.
Vietnam entered the semi-finals with a record of winning all 4 first leg matches and scoring 18 goals.
But expectations were defeated, with Long’s 32nd-minute header from Annis’ corner giving the Philippines the lead.
Annis scored in the 51st minute after a handball hit Vietnam inside the box before two Bolden headers made the Philippines striker the seventh tournament leader.
Now Stajcic and teammates will have a quick change as they hope to end the tournament with a silver trophy in the final against Thailand on Sunday.
Another win would mark another landmark achievement for Filipinas.
“It’s (the only) semi-final and we have one big game left,” the Australian adviser said.
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