By: Gil Moriones
MANILA -- The road to Australia successfully materialized after the Philippine Women's National Football Team completely closed their final assignment for the 2026 Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers with a 1-0 win against Hong Kong, Saturday afternoon at National Olympic Stadium at Penom Penh, Cambodia.
The one who scored the Filipinas' 6th goal against qualifiers' host Cambodia last Wednesday in the 56th minute, was scored early in the 4th minute of this closeout game.
Chandler McDaniels was found by Alexa Pino entering to the defensive box of Hong Kong and she found the back of the net to score the first and only goal of the Philippines in this game.
She tried to score second goal in the 17th minute after she was found by her co-Filipinas freely running but the ball went wide after she attempt it to score through a lob attempt.
Her sister goalkeeper, Olivia McDaniel, after saving three solid shots and made some stop from the offensive attempts by the red kit in the entire match.
Alexa Pino launched her attempt outside the Hong Kong's box in the 18th minute but the ball went over the crossbar.
Meryll Serrano tried to outscore the Hong Kong keeper from the cross, but the ball went wide passed over the crossbar in 30th minute.
Angela Beard tried to score her first goal in this last qualifier match but Leung Wai Nga held it as set piece of Beard went on target at 50th minute.
Filipinas is not a stranger to Women's Asian Cup since this will be their 11th appearance with their 2022 version was their best finish that made them to qualify in the 2023 Women's World Cup for the first time.
With this, the Filipinas obtained a perfect nine points without goals conceded and finished as Group G topnotchers.
They will be with Vietnam, who declared as Group E winners, as only Southeast Asian teams to the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup after a shocking destiny of Thailand and Myanmar although Singapore will start their Group A qualifiers later this month.
Next target for Filipinas will be the 2025 ASEAN MISG Serenity Cup as they will compete as the defending champions.
Follow him on X: @gilpuyatstation
