SARA Eggesvik and Sarina Bolden produced the goals as the Philippines booked a spot in the quarterfinals of the 19th Asian Games women’s football tournament with a 3-0 win over Myanmar on Thursday night at the Wenzhou Sports Center.
Eggesvik scored a brace in the second half while Bolden got the Filipinas on the scoreboard early to take the full three points against their Southeast Asian rival and second place in Group E with their second win in three group stage matches.
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The Filipinas also got a measure of revenge against Myanmar, which derailed their medal chance in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games with a 1-0 decision during the group stage in Phnom Penh.
The victory marked another milestone for the Filipinas, who, after making a historic debut in the Fifa Women's World Cup, reached the knockout stage right in their first Asian Games campaign.
They caught the last ticket in the quarterfinals by being the third-best second placer among four teams in the group stage.
The Philippines, though, faces a major hurdle as it takes on defending champion Japan, the lone Asian team to reach the knockout stage of the Fifa Women’s World Cup. The quarterfinals will be on Saturday.
North vs South
North Korea and South Korea, which topped Groups D and E, respectively, face off in another quarterfinal, the winner of which will take on either Group B first-placer Chinese Taipei or Uzbekistan.
Host China, which topped Group A, will face Thailand in the quarterfinals.
Bolden was brought down inside the box, and scored the penalty kick herself in the 19th minute for an early Filipinas lead. Bolden also set up Eggesvik’s first goal of the match.
Usually the recipient of Eggesvik’s precise balls that led to that historic goal in the World Cup against New Zealand, Bolden had a role reversal. Off a long free kick by Jessika Cowart, Bolden headed the ball to Eggesvik, who got a touch in the area to knock the goal in at the 60th.
Eggesvik scored again a minute later, this time from a lovely ball by fellow Norwegian-based teammate Meryll Serrano to make it 3-0.
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