CHONBURI—After her three-goal spree in the Filipinas’ semis-clinching 6-0 disposal of Malaysia, young gun Alexa Pino emerged as the co-scoring leader in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games women’s football play here.
Rising to the occasion when the Philippines needed a boatload of strikes against the Malaysians, the 18-year-old Pino netted thrice (45th, 53rd and 70th minutes) to spark the PH side to the pivotal victory.
In matching the hat-trick feat in a SEAG match first registered by FIFA Women’s World Cup goal-scorer Sarina Bolden in the country’s 5-0 drubbing of Malaysia in the 2019 SEAG in Binan. Pino drew level with Thailand’s Jiraporn Mongkodle, and Vietnam’s Thai Thi Thao at the front of the scoring race.
“It’s not about the personal goals and stuff,” Pino quickly stressed after her hat trick.
“Our whole team, we all put the ball in the back of the net. And it took not just 11 of us, but everyone who even came out to pitch. For 90 minutes, even 98, I think it was. We all came out and played as hard as we could.”
Mallie Ramirez, 21, another fresh face in the Philippine team, is in a bunch of players with two goals — Myanmar’s May Htet Lu and Win Theingi Tun and Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Bich Tuy and Pham Hai Yen.
Ani Markey, Jessica Cowart and Anicka Castaneda, the other Pinay scorers in the romp against Malaysia, joined 13 other players with a one-goal card going to Sunday’s semifinal match against the host Thais.
“It’s a privilege to be on this team, playing with this international team. It’s amazing. And I’m very grateful to have this experience with these girls and this amazing staff that we have here,” said Pino.
