Inday Tolentin celebrated with her teammates after scoring second goal for the Philippines . AFC
By: Gil Moriones
MANILA - After a goalless first half, the Philippines women's national futsal team's firepower in 2nd half were enough to accomplish their must-win assignment vs. Turkmenistan through an insured 2-0 score in the continuing 2025 AFC Women's Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers at Yunusobod Sport Complex in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, tonight.
Sparring on her performance last Tuesday vs. Uzbekistan, Samantha Hughes performed in delight in terms of stopping Turkmen solid shots including her denial to Maya Musaskaya’s free-kick, minutes ago after the start of the second half.
Then, the heroine who silenced the Uzbek on her classic equalizer to amass an historic point, Judy Connolly found Katrina Guillou in their counter-attack scenario in their one touch play going to the left flank for Guillou to easily punched their opening goal in 22:18 of the second half.
Guillou recorded three goals already for this qualifying tournament.
In the 29:56 frame of the second half, Dionesa Tolentin grabbed the opportunity from the huge defensive error of the Tukmen defender as she went too much to handle the ball from the keeper caused the ball to dispossess and Tolentin simply launched her attempt that was clinically converted to score the second goal for the Philippines.
With the withdrawal of Pakistan in Group B, the matches against 5th place teams in Groups C, where Philippines belongs, and Group A will possibly not counted due to fewer matches in Group B and D in case for the determination of Best 3rd placer.
Hence, their results vs. Kuwait last Saturday or Turkmenistan tonight is either possibly will not counted on their bag just in case the Philippines will deal on the battle for Best 3rd placer teams.
With a 2-0 win, the Nationals provisionally topped Group C possessing 7 points and +7 Goal Difference (GD) although the unranked Australia has +10 GD placing in second.
They need to win or at least draw vs. the newly-form but strong Australia on Friday to officially step their foot in the finals tournament on China this May.