Malditas succumb to Japanese U-23

MANILA, Philippines - Japan’s Under-23 team gave the Philippine Malditas a reality check with a 4-1 triumph in Group B action of the Asean Football Federation Women’s Championship on a hot and humid Thursday night at the Youth Training Center in Yangon, Myanmar.

Fresh from a 6-0 demolition of Indonesia, the Malditas gamely battled it out with the debuting Japanese but just couldn’t match the firepower of the powerhouse guest team.

Japan broke the ice just five minutes in with Tanaka Mariko slamming it home after a poor clearance on Imai Haruka’s corner. Fifteen minutes later, Imai set up Takahashi Miyuki for a header that made it 2-0 and just before the break, Hashiuria Matsuki headed into the open goal to give Japan a three-goal upperhand.

The Malditas pushed harder in the second half, with Jilian Jamero and Maria Park getting clear chances but just couldn’t find the mark. Jamero found herself in a 1v1 with Japan keeper Harada Miho but just sliced it wide. Park narrowly missed the target on her header off a cross from Camille Wilson.

Japan slammed in a fourth goal in the 79th via Imai’s shot  that came off from the under crossbar and into goal. Phl finally connected five minutes before the end with Patrice Impelido’s header off a Natasha Alquiros corner.

“Unfortunately two bad calls did us in tonight. Japan was a better team but we could have made it 3-2 and not 4-1. Last goal by Japan was handball,” said Malditas’ coach Ernie Nierras. 

“The girls played really well. We did good considering we played a good team. The best part is the Malditas know that we let this one slip. We will do better next time. The girls also know they are a lot better than what the score shows,” added Nierras, hoping to build on this experience as they face off with host Myanmar next on Saturday night.

Japan U-23 (1-0-0), the Malditas (1-0-1), host Myanmar (1-0-0) and Laos (1-0-1), which beat Indonesia in the other game, 2-1, carry identical three points after two days of hostilities in Group B.