By ADRIAN STEWART CO
The Filipinas suffered an 8-0 manhandling by Australia’s Matildas in the second round of the 2024 AFC Women’s Olympic qualifying tournament at the Optus Stadium in Australia on Sunday night, October 29.
Team captain Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord each completed hat tricks to lead the way for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup fourth placers, while Mary Fowler and Clare Wheeler added a conversion each.
With the outcome, the Matildas surged to top spot in Group A with six points and a goal difference of +10, while the Filipinas is in second place with three points and a -5 goal difference.
Fowler opened the scoring for the Matildas on the 15th-minute mark from a pass by Foord, while Kerr doubled their advantage with a conversion from inside the box four minutes later.
Foord got herself two quick goals in the 30th and 33rd minute to widen the Matildas’ advantage to 4-0 before Kerr ended the first half with another score to the delight of the Aussies inside the stadium.
Australia opened the second half like how the first half ended with Kerr scoring on a header from a cross by Fowler in the 46th minute to complete her hat-trick before Foord completed her own three-goal feat 10 minutes later.
Substitute Wheeler then ended Malditas’ blowout victory against the Filipinas with a strike in the 72nd minute against the defense of goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel from inside the box.
Prior to the lopsided defeat to Australia, the Philippine women’s football team scored a 4-1 victory against Chinese-Taipei on October 26, behind conversions from Sarina Bolden, Katrine Guillou and Chandler McDaniel.
The Philippines and Australia will conclude their second round matches at the Perth Rectangular Stadium on Wednesday, November 1.
The Filipinas will face Iran at 3:50 p.m., while Australia will take on Chinese Taipei at 7:00 p.m.
The top team from the group will automatically advance to the third round of the Paris Olympics qualifier, while the second-place team will only advance if they have the better goal difference./ASC, WDJ