CHONBURI – Mallie Ramirez saved the day as the Philippine women’s football team prevailed over defending champion Vietnam, 1-0, to revive its semis bid in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games Monday night a
SEAG debutant Ramirez, also the goal scorer in the Filipinas’ 1-2 opening loss to Myanmar, scored off a rebound at the death as they secured the pivotal victory to stay alive in the race for Top 2 in Group B and their corresponding seats to the Last-4.
The rejuvenated Filipinas drew level with the Vietnamese at three points on one win against one loss behind Myanmar, which moved up to six points after grabbing its second W at the expense of winless Malaysia, 3-0
The charges of coach Mark Torcaso must take care of business in the final group game against the Malaysians on Dec. 11 and get maximum points and hope that Vietnam lose to Myanmar on the same night to get the second semis spot.
In front of an animated crowd at the Chonburi Daikin Stadium here, the Filipinas and the Vietnamese engaged in a high intensity showdown and battled to a scoreless tie in all of 90 minutes.
But the no-quit Filipinas simply wouldn’t agree to split the point and jeopardize their semis aspirations further, pressing harder and harder until Ramirez found the ball in sight off a scramble and sent it home late in second-half stoppage time.
“I’m proud of the girls, they fought very hard to get the result,” said Torcaso.
