Women’s Asian Cup: Philippines keep hopes alive with win, South Korea top group after draw
Host Australia’s late goal not enough to overtake the Koreans, while Iran’s players sing anthem before final match and bow out without a win
Iran’s players sang the national anthem and saluted before bowing out of the Women’s Asian Cup with defeat in their last Group A match against the Philippines in Australia on Sunday.
Goals in each half from Sara Eggesvik and Chandler McDaniel at a rain-soaked Gold Coast Stadium gave the Philippines a 2-0 win that kept alive their hopes of progressing as one of the best third-placed teams.
Sara Didar had an early chance for Iran but her strike in the sixth minute was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel.
At the other end, 38-year-old Iran goalkeeper Raha Yazdani kept it level with three saves in four minutes but Philippines opened the scoring in the 29th when Eggesvik had a goal awarded after a VAR review.
Yazdani made three more crucial saves late in the first half to keep it to 1-0 at the break, and it took until the 82nd minute before substitute Chandler McDaniel fired in the goal to give the Philippines a two-goal buffer.
At the top of the group, Australia’s Alanna Kennedy scored her second goal deep into stoppage time to rescue a 3-3 draw against South Korea but it was not enough to prevent their opponents from topping the group.