SAMUT PRAKAN — The Philippine women’s national futsal team will march to the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games bronze medal match with their heads held high after the Filipina5 fought a tightly contested 0–1 game to world number 11 Vietnam in the semifinals on Tuesday at the Bangkokthonburi University Gymnasium here.
The result completed a trifecta of breakthrough semifinal appearances by the three national teams sent by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), bannered by the gold medal–seeking Philippine women’s national football team, which will face Vietnam in Wednesday’s gold medal match at 8:30 p.m. at Chonburi Stadium, more than a hundred kilometers southeast of Bangkok.
On Thursday, the Filipina5 and the Philippine men’s national football team (under-22) will both contest bronze medals. The Filipina5 will take on dethroned five-time gold medalist Thailand at 2:30 p.m. in Samut Prakan, while the men’s squad will meet Malaysia at 4:30 p.m. in Bangkok.
The SEA Games women’s futsal semifinals produced two fiercely fought encounters. In the second match, Indonesia pulled off a stunning result by eliminating Thailand on its home court, prevailing 8–7 in sudden-death penalties after a 4–4 draw in extra time.
In the opening semifinal, the Filipina5, ranked 69th in the world but carrying the experience of the recent FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup in Pasig, delivered their closest contest yet against the reigning ASEAN champions. Against a side ranked 58 places higher, the Philippines generated several quality chances. In their previous meetings in 2024, the Filipina5 fell 0–3 in the 2025 AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup qualifiers and 1–6 in the 2024 ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championship.
“We are taking this loss with our heads held up high,” said PFF President John Anthony Gutierrez. “To be able to pull off such a tight game against a top-11 team in the world reflects the significant progress of our women’s futsal program. This is the result of the dedication and hard work of our players, coaches, staff, and support groups throughout a yearlong campaign that has become a breakthrough for Philippine futsal and one that we believe will spark a nationwide surge for the sport in the coming years.”
The opening half showcased the Filipina5’s offensive intent and pressure. As early as the second minute, Dionesa Tolentin tested Vietnamese goalkeeper Ngo Nguyen Thuy Linh with a dribbling shot from midcourt. Vietnam responded through sustained pressure, but Maye Mendaño produced a timely block in the seventh minute to deny Dinh Thi Ngoc Han from the right.
Ngo was again called into action in the eighth minute to stop Regine Rebosura’s leak-out attack off an interception, before making another save two minutes later on Tolentin’s right-sided effort following a quick one-two with Rebosura.
In the 12th minute, Tolentin found the net from a free kick at the top right, only for the goal to be disallowed for being direct. Filipina5 goalkeeper Samantha Hughes then kept the match level with a leg block on Nguyen Phuong Anh’s dangerous attempt in the 15th minute, while Ngo closed the half by parrying Tolentin’s midcourt shot off another interception at the 20th.
Vietnam broke through in the second half, but not before the Philippines continued to resist.
The Vietnamese breakthrough in the 25th minute, when Tran Thi Thu Xuan’s free kick from near the right was deftly chipped by Tran Nguyet Vi over the tall frame of Cathy Graversen to score the match’s lone goal.
Unfazed, the Filipina5 pressed for an equalizer, with Tolentin narrowly missing on a leak-out chance in the 28th minute while in the 35th, Ngo thwarted Graversen’s open solo run at midcourt. In the closing moments, Mendaño’s power-play shot went wide in the 40th minute, and Tolentin’s final attempt was deflected out by the Vietnamese defense.
With head coach Rafa Merino suspended due to two accumulated yellow cards, lead assistant coach Aris Bocalan stepped in and credited the team’s discipline and belief.
“It’s expected that Vietnam will dominate the match, but our plan was to control our block and then our opportunities,” said Bocalan, the head of PFF Coaching Education. “We were optimistic to at least score and take advantage of our strikers. We want to continue and look forward to the next match.”
Gutierrez closed by calling on the Filipino community in Thailand to rally behind the team. “We invite all Filipinos in Thailand to come out and support the Filipina5 as they face Thailand for the bronze medal on Thursday afternoon,” he said. “Your presence and encouragement mean a great deal to our players as they fight to finish this historic campaign on the podium.”
