'MALDITAS' PHILIPPINE WOMEN'S FOOTBALL TEAM BLASTS IRAN 6-0
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 22 May 2013
The Philippine women?s football team ?Malditas? made a blistering start to their 2014 Asian Football Confederation Women?s Asian Cup qualifying campaign with three goals in the first four minutes of their Group B opener before easing to a 6-0 win over a hapless Iran squad at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh and will next face powerhouse Thailand which is ranked No.29, today.
The Thais lead the standings in the group after routing hosts Bangladesh 9-0 after leading 4-0 at halftime.
An AFC report said ?The Philippines which is ranked No. 83 came flying out of the blocks and took the lead inside the first 60 seconds through defender Heather Cooke before further goals from Megan Jurado (3rd) and Jesse Anne Shugg (4th) had the South East Asians in complete control of the qualifying curtain raiser.?
Shaken by the early onslaught from the Malditas, the Iranians who are ranked some 31 places higher at No. 52 tightened up on defense and were able to stem the scoring binge but an own goal in the 34th minute by defender Sarshin Kamangar added to the Filipinas cushion before midfielder Joana Houplin scored the fifth goal four minutes from halftime.
Two minutes into second half stoppage time Shugg scored her second goal of the match for a final 6-0 count that left the Iranian team to ponder the cracking start by the Philippines in the first four minutes of the contest.
Thailand took the top spot in the group on goal difference over the Philippines after blasting host nation Bangladesh 9-0 on Tuesday.
An AFC report on the match said midfielder Rattikan Thongsombut broke the deadlock after 16 minutes before skipper Naphat Seesraum doubled Thailand?s advantage just two minutes later.
Nisa Romyen netted the first of her four goals in the 29th minute and added her second on the stroke of half-time to give the 1983 AFC Women?s Asian Cup champions a comfortable 4-0 cushion going into the interval.
Thailand?s fifth came in the 52nd minute courtesy of an own goal from Bangladesh defender Trishna Chakma and in the 64th minute Sunisa Srangthaisong struck number six as Piyakul Kawnamkang?s side matched the winning score the Philippines achieved against Iran in the opening Group B fixture at the same venue. But with 11 minutes remaining substitute Anongnat Boontan scored the goal that saw them pass the tally set by their ASEAN rivals before Nisa put the seal on a superb individual display by completing the hat-trick in the 87th minute and then netting her fourth and Thailand?s ninth three minutes into second-half stoppage time.
(Joana Houplin pictured challenging Hajar Shahmoradi)
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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