NAKHON RATCHASIMA–The Philippine women’s national futsal team, the Filipina5, delivered another resolute performance in their second outing of the 2026 ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championship, falling 0–2 to defending champions Vietnam but once again denying the world No. 11 side any dominant result.
The match, held Wednesday at Terminal 21 Korat here, reaffirmed the Philippines’ rapid ascent—showcasing a level of tactical structure and competitive edge far removed from the 6–1 rout suffered against Vietnam in the 2024 edition.
With Vietnam earning their first win after yesterday’s loss to newcomer Australia at 0-2, while the Filipina5 won its first ever ASEAN Championship game with a 1-0 victory against Myanmar, both teams now stand at three points apiece and are still in contention for a semis spot.
“Our Filipina5 have proven once more that they will not be intimidated by the region’s traditional giants. To hold Vietnam to another hard-earned result shows how far we’ve come—and how much more this team is ready to fight for,” Philippine Football Federation (PFF) President John Anthony Gutierrez said, commending the national team’s competitive spirit and vast improvement after their FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup participation last November.
Entering the match ranked 69th in the world, the Filipina5 began strongly, generating early attacking opportunities through Rhea Chan, Bhebhe Lemoran, and captain Inday Tolentin.
However, momentum shifted when Tolentin, scorer of seven international goals in futsal, exited with a foot injury in the fifth minute. Vietnam capitalized seconds later, as Le Thi Thanh Ngan finished a 1–2 combination with Nguyen Phuong Anh off a right-sided kick-in, penetrating the Filipina5 defense and exploiting an empty net as goalkeeper Samantha Hughes stepped forward to hedge.
Despite the setback, the Filipina5 recalibrated defensively. Hughes produced a string of crucial saves—including an emphatic penalty stop against Le in the 16th minute—while Vrendelle Nuera, Maye Mendaño, and Sarahgen Tulabing provided timely blocks and recovery pressure.
Tolentin returned in the 12th minute and helped re-anchor the attack, though first-half Vietnamese pressure persisted through attempts by Bien Thi Hang, Tran Thi Thu Xuan, and K’Thua.
In the second half, Vietnam intensified their attempts to free Bien Thi Hang in front of goal, but substitute goalkeeper Kayla Santiago responded with authority—producing several stops on dangerous attacks as the Filipina5’s defensive rotation tightened.
On the opposite end, Tolentin—reinvigorated after her early injury—generated five clear attempts, two on target, while Cathy Graversen, Nicole Ramores, Jaycee DeFazio, and Lemoran all pressured the Vietnamese backline.
Vietnam finally doubled their lead in the 37th minute when Bien blasted a long-range effort from the far right following Tran Thi Thuy Trang’s short kick-in.
Still, the Filipinas pushed until the final whistle, with Lemoran nearly pulling one back in the last minute as her strike from the right flank rattled the crossbar.
The Filipina5 enter a must-win scenario tomorrow, 26 February, against a strong Australia squad at 5:30 PM in Terminal 21 Korat. PFF encourages Filipinos in Nakhon Ratchasima and nearby provinces to attend and rally behind the Filipina5 as they pursue a coveted semifinal berth.
