Australia dealt a blow to the Philippines’ title-retention bid on Sunday in the ASEAN Women’s MSIG Serenity Cup 2025.
Alana Jancevski delivered the decisive goal just before halftime, lifting Australia to a 1-0 win over the Filipinas at Việt Trì Stadium in Phu Tho, Vietnam.
The Australians controlled possession for most of the match, but Filipinas goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel kept her side in the game with four crucial saves from five major scoring threats.
The result left both Australia and the Philippines tied in second place in Group B, each holding a 1-0-1 win-draw-loss record.
Leticia McKenna had two chances in the 42nd minute — the first going wide, and the second comfortably stopped by McDaniel. But in first-half stoppage time, Jancevski collected the ball on the right flank and fired a low left-footed strike into the far corner.
The goal came moments after Filipinas newcomer Azumi Oka — a rising sophomore at the University of North Carolina Greensboro — dropped back to help defend but couldn’t get in the way of the shot.
The Philippines came close to equalizing eight minutes into the second half when Hali Long connected with a header off Chandler McDaniel’s corner, only for Australia keeper Chloe Lincoln to dive left and deny the attempt.
In the closing minutes, Olivia McDaniel pulled off two more big saves — first blocking Alicia Woods’ right-footed shot from the center of the box, then gathering another attempt from McKenna at the top of the area.
Earlier in the day, Myanmar skipper Win Theingi Tun scored a hat trick in a 3-0 win over Timor-Leste. It was Myanmar’s second straight victory after opening with a 2-1 win over Australia, moving them closer to a semifinal berth.
