The Philippine women's national football team ahead of their match against Timor Leste in the MSIG Serenity Cup, August 7, 2025 at the Việt Trì Stadium in Vietnam. PFF-PWNFT
(UPDATED) The Philippine women's national football team is off to a strong start in its defense of the ASEAN Women's Championship, clobbering Timor Leste, 7-0, on Thursday night at the Việt Trì Stadium in Vietnam.
Three goals in the first ten minutes gave the Filipinas a comfortable cushion, with five players eventually getting on the scoresheet. Quinley Quezada and Inday Tolentino both grabbed braces; the latter earned Player of the Match honors after coming up big in the second half to keep the Philippines in full control.
It took the Filipinas just two minutes to open the scoring as debutant Aaliyah Schinaman converted early off a pass from Chandler McDaniel. From there, it was virtually all Philippines, with Timor Leste rarely getting a chance to threaten.
"Overall, I think it was pretty good. We got the goals that we wanted to get, and we definitely could have gotten more," said skipper Hali Long after the game. "There's just more growing and learning, but I'm really proud of the group that we put out today and all the subs that came off the bench with really good energy."
Quezada scored her first goal in the seventh minute, pouncing on the rebound of her own miss to fire past Timor Leste 'keeper Gorette Da Costa. Just two minutes later, it was Long's turn to get on the board, soaring past the Timor Leste defense to head in a McDaniel corner kick.
Quezada got her brace in the 32nd minute, showing great skill to chest down a pass from Tolentin before firing with her left foot past three defenders and the goal-keeper.
Timor Leste came out with more intent in the first half and gave the Filipinas their first real challenge in the 55th minute, when Godelivia Martins dispossessed Isabella Alamo and uncorked a right-footed shot inside the box. Fortunately for the Filipinas, Olivia McDaniel was up to the task and blocked the attempt before the Philippines defense took care of business.
Two minutes later, Tolentin snatched the momentum back in favor of the Filipinas. The Kaya FC standout beat her defender before unleashing a shot from the right side, just outside the box, that was well out of reach for Da Silva for a 5-0 lead.
Tolentin made it 6-0 in the 64th, this time taking advantage of a goal-keeping error after Da Silva was unable to clear a cross from Schinaman. The loose ball fell fortuitously to Tolentin, who fired it past a defender for her brace.
Another goal-keeping miscue led to the Filipinas' seventh goal, with another debutant in Adelaide Wyrzynski blasting the ball into an empty box after Da Costa bungled her save of a Charisa Lemoran cross.
Quinley Quezada of the Philippines in action against Timor Leste in the MSIG Serenity Cup, August 7, 2025 at the Việt Trì Stadium in Vietnam. PFF-PWNFT
There could have been more goals late for the Filipinas, but substitute 'keeper Maria Angela Bossa denied attempts from Nina Mathelus and Jaycee DeFazio, who both came off the bench as well for the Philippines.
Nonetheless, it was a dominant display from the defending champions with the Philippines having 68% of the possession and 15 shots on target.
The huge result gave the Philippines the joint lead in Group B of the MSIG Serenity Cup along with Myanmar, who had beaten Australia's Under-23 team 2-1 in the first match of the day.
"[We're] looking forward to looking at that game and seeing what kind of results we can pull out with the next two teams," said Long of their next assignments.
The Filipinas are making a much-awaited defense of the title that they won at home in 2022, when they lifted the trophy on home soil after beating Thailand 3-0 in the final.
The Philippines brought a new-look squad to Vietnam, with seven new players including three who were called up from the national youth team.
READ: Torcaso calls up 7 newcomers as Filipinas prepare to defend Serenity Cup title
They passed their first test with flying colors but the Filipinas are now expecting a tougher challenge on Sunday, August 10, when they play the Australian Under-23 squad at the same venue.