THE Philippines still earned a slot in the 2025 AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup in China this May.
The Filipinas’ chances were earlier in jeopardy after they lost to Australia, 1-2, on Sunday evening in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Futsal Asian Cup qualifiers in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
This was after Uzbekistan, which needed to win and get two clear goals to progress, took the second qualifying slot with a 6-2 triumph over Turkmenistan.
Australia’s 4-0-0 win-draw-loss sweep and its 12-point tally of Group C gave them one of nine available seats in the finals this May.
The Philippines went on to finish third on seven points and its 2-1-1 card.
The Filipinas missed its chance to score in the fourth minute when Isabella Flanigan created the opening for Katrina Guillou, whose grounder went wide to the left of the post.
The scoreless deadlock was finally broken in the seventh minute when Australian Daisy Arrowsmith pounced on a stray clearance from Judy Connolly, and hit a powerful drive into the back of the net.
The Filipinas had a chance to equalize with 30 seconds left on the clock, before halftime.
But Flanigan’s shot from outside was accidentally deflected into the back of the net by Halle Smit, for an own goal at the 19:33 mark.
The Aussies struck back within 20 seconds of the restart in the second half, when Claudia Fruscalzo set up Jessica Au at the far post.
Australia finished with a perfect 12 points, while Uzbekistan edged the Philippin0es on goal difference, with both having accumulated seven points.
Also making it to the May 6 to 17 finals is Thailand, which topped Group A with a perfect 12 points, and Bahrain, which will make a second appearance.
There’s also Indonesia in Group B, which beat Hong Kong, 5-0, on Sunday to finish with three wins out of three. Hong Kong advanced as the runners-up.
Vietnam held Chinese Taipei to a 2-all draw, with the point ensuring it finished on top of Group D on goal difference. Chinese Taipei also advanced.
The draw will be held in Hohhot, China on February 7.
