Philippines Falls to Morocco, 3–2, After Historic First Goals in FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup

The Filipina5 carved a slice of history on Monday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City, scoring their first-ever goals in the 2025 FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup through Inday Tolentin and Catherine Graversen. But despite a dream start and a roaring home crowd, the Philippines ultimately fell short, suffering a 3–2 defeat to Morocco that officially ended their hopes of advancing to the knockout stage.

A Dream Start That Sparked Hope

Playing in front of the homecrowd, the Filipina5 opened the match with the kind of fire and precision they had hoped for.

Tolentin struck first just four minutes into the game, sending the arena into celebration. Graversen doubled the lead in the 8th minute, giving the Philippines a stunning 2–0 advantage and a brief glimpse of what could have been a breakthrough victory.

Morocco Answers With a Swift Comeback

The momentum quickly shifted as 31st-ranked Morocco mounted a determined response. An accidental own goal by Katrina Guillou in the 10th minute opened the door, and the Atlas Lionesses capitalized. Siiham Tadlaoui scored in the 14th minute, followed by Jasmine Demraoui’s strike in the 17th minute, turning the match around with three goals in seven minutes to take a 3–2 lead before halftime.

Second-Half Effort Falls Short

The Filipina5 pushed hard in the second half, relying on long-range attempts as they chased an equalizer. A hopeful penalty claim involving Demraoui was reviewed, but the officials ruled no spot kick, and the Philippines struggled to create clear scoring chances until the final buzzer.

With the defeat, the Philippines dropped to the bottom of Group A, now carrying a –7 goal difference, and will look to salvage at least one win when they face World No. 6 Argentina on Thursday, November 27, at the same venue.

Group A: Argentina Clinches Quarterfinal Spot

Earlier in the day, Argentina secured its place in the quarterfinals with a 3–2 win over Poland.

The Argentinians had jumped to a 3–0 lead with goals from Silvina Nava, Agostina Chiesa, and Lucia Rossi, but Poland fought back with goals from Aga Bala and Anna Choras, nearly forcing a late comeback. A possible penalty in the final seconds was denied after video review, preserving Argentina’s perfect record.

Argentina now leads Group A with 6 points, followed by Poland and Morocco with 3 points each — Poland ahead on goal difference (+5 to Morocco’s –5).

The Philippines remains winless with 0 points.

What’s Next in Group A

The group stage wraps up on Thursday at the PhilSports Arena:

• Poland vs. Morocco — 6:00 p.m.
• Philippines vs. Argentina — 8:30 p.m.

The Filipina5 will look to finish strong and build on their historic first goals in the tournament.