‘We believe in them’: Torcaso’s faith fuels Filipinas’ historic SEA Games gold

For years, the Philippines hovered on the edges of Southeast Asian women’s football greatness—close enough to dream, never close enough to claim. On December 17 at Chonburi Stadium, that long wait finally ended, as the Filipinas rewrote their place in regional history and emerged as the new standard-bearers of the sport.

Locked in a tense, scoreless battle with four-time defending champion Vietnam, the final demanded everything the Filipinas had to give. After 120 draining minutes under the Thai lights, the championship was decided from the penalty spot, where composure replaced chaos. 

Jaclyn Sawicki stepped up and calmly buried the sixth kick, while goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel sealed the moment by denying Tran Thi Thu—an instant that unleashed years of pent-up belief and emotion across the Philippine bench.

The gold medal was not born from perfection, but from response. Earlier in the tournament, a 2-1 loss to Myanmar threatened to derail expectations. Instead, it became the turning point that reshaped the team’s mindset, according to head coach Mark Torcaso.

“It showed after the first game when we obviously lost,” said the 44-year-old mentor. “We put in the girls’ minds that some of the best teams have won tournaments after losing their first game.

“We constantly reminded them that we believe in them, and they started believing in themselves. And now, the outcome is this — a gold medal.”

That belief extended beyond the pitch. Torcaso made it clear that the triumph was collective, forged by players and staff alike who had carried the program through years of incremental progress.

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A HISTORIC WIN FOR PHILIPPINE FOOTBALL

The Filipinas MAKE HISTORY for the Philippines as they capture the country’s FIRST-EVER GOLD in the women’s football event at the SEA Games after defeating Vietnam in the 2025 edition!#2025SEAGames #SEAGames #TibayAtTatag pic.twitter.com/OLzRDTDCtL

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) December 17, 2025

“We’ll enjoy this one. It’s a long time coming for our country to win the SEA Games,” he said.

“Every single person, even Kevin our kit man and Karyn Caliway, played a part and deserves this as much as everyone else.”

The victory carried special meaning for veterans who had waited nearly a decade—or more—for this moment. Goalkeeper Inna Palacios, who announced her retirement just hours before kickoff, closed her 18-year national team career in the most poetic way possible: as a SEA Games champion. Hali Long, newly minted as a centurion for the Philippines, finally claimed the one prize that had eluded her throughout her international journey.

“I’m proud of Inna, who finished with a gold medal, and extremely proud of Hali,” Torcaso shared.

“But really, I’m proud of every one of them.”

Even as celebrations echoed into the night, the Filipinas’ gaze was already shifting forward. The gold medal now serves as both validation and launchpad ahead of the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia, where the Philippines faces a daunting Group A featuring hosts Australia, South Korea, and Iran.

For Torcaso, the SEA Games triumph revealed something deeper than results—a squad capable of balancing experience with fearless youth.

“The most pleasing thing about this competition was showing that we have a mix of experienced and young players ready to fight for our country,” Torcaso said.

“We had three 18-year-olds taking penalties — they looked confident and composed.”

That composure, displayed on the biggest regional stage, fuels the belief that the Filipinas’ ceiling is far from reached. With discipline hardened by pressure and belief forged through adversity, the path toward another global appearance is no longer a distant dream.

“I truly believe we can compete with Australia, South Korea, and Iran,” Torcaso said.

“We can do something special and make it to another World Cup.”

From years of near misses to a golden breakthrough, the Filipinas’ SEA Games triumph is more than a title—it is a statement that Philippine women’s football has arrived, and it intends to stay.

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