Filipinas dominate Timor-Leste in ASEAN Serenity Cup title defense, 7-0

The Philippine women’s national football team began its title defense in the 2025 ASEAN Women's Championship (MSIG Serenity Cup) in dominant fashion after beating Timor-Leste, 7-0, in Vietnam on Thursday night.

The Filipinas, who captured the crown in 2022, are looking to complete a historic repeat without some of their mainstays this time.

Sarina Bolden, who led all scorers for the Philippines three years ago, was ruled out due to an ACL tear which she announced herself on social media last month.

The tournament also does not fall into the FIFA window which caused the absence of some players including Katrina Guillou, Meryll Serrano, and Sara Eggesvik.

However, Mark Torcaso’s rotation was not lacking in firepower as midfielders Jaycee DeFazio, Isabella Alamo, and Adelaide Wyrzynski, and defenders Azumi Oka, Aaliyah Schinaman, and Lyka Cuenco made their timely debut for the senior’s squad along with forward Tea Pidding.

The Filipinas, who improved to No. 39 in the world in FIFA’s latest rankings, were coming off an inspiring qualification to the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup where they were tangled with football powerhouses.

In this ongoing tournament, though, the Philippines earned its first three points and a superior +7 goal difference (GD) from the commanding win ahead of Myanmar which beat Australia’s U23 side earlier with a lone goal in Group B.

Schinaman opened the scoring in the first two minutes with her left foot after meeting Chandler McDaniel’s assist from the right side.

It didn’t take long for the Filipinas to double the lead as Quinley Quzada also connected with McDaniel from the right at the seventh minute.

McDaniel, who took a corner kick two minutes later, guided the ball straight to Filipinas skipper Hali Long which she then headed straight to the net to make it 3-0.

Finally, Quezada set herself up for the brace with a left-footed shot after finding the right corner of the net at the 32nd minute.

After keeping most of the possession to themselves, the Filipinas greeted the second half with Olivia McDaniel’s save of Timor-Leste’s first shot on target at the 55th minute.

Two minutes later, Dionesa Tolentin fired a long shot across from the top of the box to the back of the net before similarly completing a brace at the 67th minute due to a goalkeeping error by Timorese Gorette Da Costa.

With 15 minutes left in regular time, Nina Mathelus made her substitution worthwhile as she found the back of an empty net to make the final count 7-0 for the Philippines.

The Filipinas resume action on Sunday against the Australian youth side at the Viet Tri Stadium, Phu Tho.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News

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