BALI, INDONESIA — The Philippine U17 Women’s workforce was dealt a footballing lesson because the younger Filipinas fell 6-0 within the fingers of North Korea within the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup.
Coming off a dominant 6-1 win over hosts Indonesia and buoyed by a throng of cheering followers and household within the stands, the younger Filipinas had been in a feisty temper proper from kickoff.
Alexa Pino and Nat Collins, heroines from the primary recreation, began on the bench with Nina Mathelus main the assault.
It could be North Korea, nonetheless, who would threaten within the early goings. The Philippines’ U17 workforce is greater than a match for many groups bodily, however North Korea proved equal to the duty, profitable the 50-50 balls and utilizing velocity and guile to check the Philippines’ protection.
After a collection of last-ditch tackles, the Philippines’ resistance would lastly be damaged within the seventeenth minute with a purpose from a set piece from Jon Il Chong.
The velocity in transition and the technical means of the North Koreans, coupled with good interaction meant that the Filipinas had been chasing shadows all all through the primary half, and it could solely be a matter of time earlier than North Korea raced to a 4-0 halftime lead.
Things improved considerably within the second half for the Filipinas, limiting North Korea to a solitary purpose – a lucky purpose off the upright direct from a nook – earlier than a defensive error within the 93rd minute condemned the Philippines to a 6-0 defeat.
Getting a outcome was going to be very troublesome in opposition to three-time champions North Korea, however a slew of unforced errors didn’t assist the trigger and successfully ended the younger Filipinas’ already slim possibilities.
“The result is something we are not worried (about). We probably are more worried how we (wanted) to implement what we wanted to do,” coach Sinisa Cohadzic said after the match.
“We always knew this is gonna be a hard task for us.”
While making ready for North Korea, the teaching employees already had an eye fixed in the direction of the final group stage match, one thing Coach Sinisa hinted himself.
“By the lineup, you can see we didn’t play the best players there, so ultimately it was about how can we lower the damage.”
“With the way we setup today, it was always going to be that we would have to defend, and can we actually lose by less than South Korea and see what they do.
“They ultimately are a class team as you can see, the quality, the speed of the players, there’s no weaknesses in that team. They’re able to technically execute the actions veery well and they’re clinical. When they get their chances, they finish.”
Fortunately, the Filipinas reside to combat one other day and can sit up for the ultimate group stage match in opposition to South Korea.
South Korea, with a superior purpose distinction after thumping hosts Indonesia by a whopping rating of 12-0, will solely be needing a draw in opposition to the Philippines within the last match day.
However, for the younger Filipinas, the mission is evident: solely a victory in opposition to South Korea can be sufficient to safe a spot within the semifinals.
“We always knew that it was going to come to that (South Korea game),” mentioned Sinisa. “That’s the do-or-die game for us.”
The hopes of the U17 Filipinas of qualifying to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup rests exactly on getting a win within the final matchday.
With a two-day break to lick their wounds, the women have to recuperate and deal with the job forward.
While difficult, profitable in opposition to South Korea is on no account unimaginable, however they must hold their focus for the total 90 minutes in addition to being scientific when given the possibility. Then, a spot within the semi-finals await.
The Philippines will play their final group stage match in opposition to South Korea on May 12.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
