On a historic night, the Philippine women’s national football team sealed its place in the gold medal match of the SEA Games 2025 after a dramatic win over Thailand.
BANGKOK – In the context of Philippine sports, history has become synonymous with the Filipinas – always juxtaposed, almost interchangeable.
On a chilly night in Chonburi, fortune once again favored the Philippine women’s national football team, qualifying to their first-ever SEA Games final after beating hosts Thailand in a thrilling penalty shootout, 4-2.
Despite having the odds stacked against them, the Filipinas played with good old fashioned puso possessed by every Filipino athlete.
Having to deal with a penalty shootout in enemy territory, the Filipinas dug deep.
[RELATED: Filipinas barge into historic SEA Games football final at expense of host Thailand]
Among those who delivered was skipper Hali Long, who, playing in her 100th match for the national team, slotted the fourth and final penalty kick made by the Filipinas after two stunning misses from the home team.
But while the Filipinas basked in the glory of their first-ever gold medal match in the SEA Games in the history of their program, it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine.
In the months leading up to the SEA Games, there were more bumps than smooth sailing for the team that gave the Philippines its first and only appearance at a FIFA World Cup.
From botched leads in international friendlies to their opening game loss against Myanmar here at the SEA Games, there were some early concerns about the team’s direction, especially after more than two years removed from the 2023 World Cup.
But after gutting out the win on hostile territory, Filipinas head coach Mark Torcaso believes that the team has finally put any concerns to rest.
“How do I feel? Emotional. Lots of emotion,” said Torcaso during the post match press conference.
“There’s been a lot of doubt for some of our players and what they’ve been able to prove in the last couple of months and they’ve got themselves into a gold medal match and I couldn’t be prouder. They haven’t stopped fighting this whole competition.”
Regardless of what happens in the final on Wednesday, the Filipinas are assured of their best-ever finish in the biennial tournament – only having won bronze twice before, including once where they finished third because there were only three teams competing.
The Times, They Are A Changin’
Since then, they’ve gone on a meteoric rise in the past few years.
In recent months, though, it hasn’t been all that easy. But if Sunday’s results are anything to go off on, the Filipinas are still firmly in the picture in the SEA Games, and with the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup early next year.
With a combination of old and new players who have gone on to impact the team on the pitch, Torcaso is optimistic of what is to come – in the final and beyond.
“There’s been a change, a shift in the last couple of months for this team and they’re determined to be successful here and be successful in the future and as I’ve said, we’ve got a very good [mix] of senior players who’ve played a hundred games and we’ve got excellent exciting group of players who’ve only played their first match this tournament,” said Torcaso.
“So the [next] game for us, the gold medal match, is an experience — one that we want to win and one that we also want to use as preparation for our Asian Cup campaign,” he added.
First things first for the Filipinas will be defending champions Vietnam in the gold medal match here on Wednesday.
Winning their group stage encounter earlier in the tournament, the Filipinas know that they’ll have to be more careful against a wounded Vietnam side.
“It'll be tough because Vietnam [are] the reigning champions and we beat them in group, so I know they’re gonna be coming for us and we’re gonna be even harder to break down this time around,” said Long also during the press conference.
“We’re not tired, we’re hungry, we want it. It’s a first time feeling for us, and a familiar feeling for Vietnam,” she added.
The Filipinas vie for their first-ever SEA Games title when they face Vietnam on Wednesday, December 17, at Chonburi Stadium.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.