Filipina5’s early explosion fades as Morocco completes comeback, ending Philippines’ World Cup dream

The Philippines’ historic FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup run took a heartbreaking turn on Monday night at the packed Philsports Arena, where an electric 1,771-strong home crowd watched the Filipina5 burst out of the gates with swagger—only to see Morocco storm back and steal a 3–2 comeback victory that officially ended the host nation’s hopes of advancing.

For the first eight minutes, the stadium felt like it was witnessing the birth of a fairytale. Inday Tolentin etched her name in history as the first Filipina to score in a Women’s Futsal World Cup, curling in a free kick that sent the arena into an eruption of chants.

 Moments later, Catherine Graversen doubled the lead off a rapid transition play, and the Philippines suddenly looked like the team that had trained in Spain, battled Canada, and raised expectations back home.

But as quickly as the dream surged to life, Morocco found the cracks—turning the match into a test of composure, something the young Filipina squad struggled to manage after its unexpected early surge. Head coach Rafa Merino admitted afterward that the moment overwhelmed his players more than they expected.

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FULL TIME: A hard-fought battle ’til the final whistle.

The Philippines pushed all the way — showing heart, grit, and the SAMA SAME spirit. On to the next. Laban!#PFF #FutsalWWC #Filipina5 #SamaSama pic.twitter.com/upY0jhhkeo

— Philippine Women’s Futsal (@phwomensfutsal) November 24, 2025

“Scoring that fast in the beginning wasn’t in our plans. We didn’t know it’s going to happen. We were not ready in an emotional level. It affected the players in a way,” said the Spanish coach through an interpreter.

Morocco exploited the disruption, beginning with Nadia Laftah slipping one past goalkeeper Samantha Hughes just two minutes after Graversen’s goal. From there, the visitors seized control, with Sliham Tadlaoui and Jasmine Demraoui burying two more goals in the 14th and 17th minutes.

Hughes kept the Philippines alive with a spectacular defensive stand in the second half—blocking 15 Moroccan attempts—but the Filipina5 could not rediscover the attacking sharpness that colored their early lead.

With the loss, their second in Group A, the Philippines fell out of quarterfinal contention even before their final match against Australia, which earlier clinched advancement after a dramatic 3–2 win over Poland.

Despite the heartbreak, the night still became a celebration of women’s football in the country. Members of the historic Filipinas squad that competed in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup—including Sarina Bolden—watched from the stands, offering symbolic support as the next wave of Philippine football talent battled on the global stage.

Morocco coach Adil Sayeh acknowledged the importance of the matchup, viewing the Philippines as a tough hurdle in their bid to bounce back from a heavy opening defeat.

“We knew that it’s going to be a hard game because we are both coming off a loss. It was a tough game. We played against a very good team,” Sayeh said.

For the Filipina5, the loss may sting, but their early fire, fearless play, and historic goals made sure their debut on the biggest futsal stage will be remembered—an emotional reminder of how quickly dreams can rise, and how fast they can slip away, in the world’s most unforgiving tournaments.

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