The Philippine women’s futsal team absorbed a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Poland on Friday in a rough start to its Fifa Futsal Women’s World Cup campaign before a home crowd at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Despite efforts to keep the match close, the Filipina5 eventually got battered by a Polish side that led by two goals from Julia Basta, including the opener more than six minutes into the contest.
Early chances by Inday Tolentin gave the mostly partisan audience of 2,211 hopes of an upset but Poland proved why it was ranked 14th in the world and secured the maximum three points.
Poland equaled the scoreline produced by Argentina earlier against Morocco to conclude the tournament’s first matchday.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino was on hand to witness the Filipina5’s first match that capped off the opening act of the inaugural futsal competition for women.
Tolentin nearly got the Filipina5 on board but her attempt hit the post. Poland would respond when Basta fired a shot that goalkeeper Samantha Hughes couldn’t secure, eventually going past the line for the score.
The Filipina5 of coach Rafa Merino tried to keep as close as possible. However, Natalia Matuzewska produced a tapper from close range with less than two minutes before halftime that doubled Poland’s lead.
Flanigan had a chance early in the second half to pull one back, but her attempt went for naught. Poland would shortly score for the third time behind Julia Szokstak, followed by Basta’s second.
It became 5-0 after Klaudia Kubaszek’s shot hit Filipina5’s Lanie Ortillo’s foot for an own goal, then the sixth came from Klaudia Dyminska with 10 minutes remaining.