A brief taste of glory
For a moment, the Philippine women’s futsal team looked like it would replicate what its football counterparts did two years ago, when a breakthrough goal from Sarina Bolden completed a breakthrough victory at the Fifa Women’s World Cup.
“I’m sure we were all excited, happy, joyful,” Bolden said when she watched as a fan during the Filipina5’s Fifa Futsal Women’s World Cup match against Morocco at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
The joyful mood eventually dissipated and turned into desperation after the Philippines lost its 2-0 lead created by Inday Tolentin’s historic first goal and a second from Cathrine Graversen inside the first seven minutes.
Morocco wound up taking a 3-2 win as the Philippines couldn’t find the equalizer in the second half, thus ending any chances of chasing an unlikely quarterfinals berth in the inaugural world event.
It was the second straight loss for the Filipina5, who will now look to close out the campaign on at least a determined note against a vastly superior Argentina squad on Thursday at the same venue.
“I think that scoring two goals in such a short period of time surprised us a bit, and it took us out of the game plan that we had,” admitted coach Rafa Merino through an interpreter. “I think it confused us a bit [because] we don’t have enough experience to handle this type of scenario.”
It was a dream start for the Filipina5, especially when Tolentin fired a right-footed free kick into the net almost four minutes in, triggering massive celebrations from most of the 1,771 people, including Bolden.
Graversen doubled the lead three minutes later on the break, and for a while, it looked like the Philippines built a needed cushion for a home celebration.
‘Amazing feeling’
“I don’t even know what that feeling’s like, to score a World Cup goal in my home country,” Bolden later said. The Filipinas striker delivered the first-ever World Cup goal during a group stage match against cohost New Zealand in Wellington.
“You would have to ask Inday, Cat [about] what the feeling really feels like,” Bolden continued before reporters. “But I’m sure it’s an amazing feeling.”
But the Filipina5 couldn’t sustain the lead and the momentum, and Morocco quickly took advantage.
Nadia Laftah pulled one back from close range after it was initially ruled as an own goal from the Filipina5’s Katrina Guillou almost halfway into the first half. Siiham Tadlaoui equalized at the 13:55 mark when she beat goalkeeper Samantha Hughes with a left-footed attempt.
The winner came barely three minutes before halftime as Jasmine Demraoui slid in Morocco’s third goal, and from that point, the Philippines was left begging for chances that never came.
