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With upset of New Zealand, Filipinas deliver another special moment

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Sarina Bolden (L) of the Philippines celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the FIFA Women" s="" World="" Cup="" group="" A="" soccer="" match="" between="" New="" Zealand="" and="" the="" Philippines="" in="" July="" Ritchie="" B.="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/07/25/07252023-with-upset-of-new-zealand,-filipinas-deliver-another-special-moment.jpg"/><figcaption>Sarina Bolden (L) of the Philippines celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the FIFA Women&#x27;s World Cup group A soccer match between New Zealand and the Philippines in Wellington, New Zealand, July 25, 2023. Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA-EFE.</figcaption></figure></div>The Filipinas entered the FIFA Women&#x27;s World Cup wanting to prove that they belong on the biggest stage that football has to offer.In two matches, they have proven just that and silenced their critics, while once again rewriting the country&#x27;s sporting history. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/20/23/history-making-filipinas-want-to-prove-they-belong-in-world-stage">History-making Filipinas want to prove they belong in world stage</a></li></ul>The Philippines scored a maiden World Cup win on Tuesday when they stunned co-hosts New Zealand, 1-0, in front of over 32,000 fans at the Sky Stadium in Wellington. Sarina Bolden scored the historic goal, nodding in a cross from Sara Eggesvik in the 24th minute to put the Filipinas ahead.But it was Olivia McDaniel who earned Player of the Match honors after a tireless performance in between the sticks. She denied attempt after attempt by New Zealand, including a terrific strike from Grace Jale in the 93rd minute that the goal-keeper was just able to punch away into safety. &quot;It&#x27;s just a special moment in the history of Philippine team sports,&quot; coach Alen Stajcic said after the match. &quot;I don&#x27;t know if there&#x27;s been a bigger win.&quot;&quot;Obviously, [Manny] Pacquiao individually, but for team sport, it would have to be one of the best achievements in the history of the country,&quot; he added.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/25/23/filipinas-stun-new-zealand-for-first-ever-world-cup-win">Football: Filipinas stun New Zealand for first-ever World Cup win</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/25/23/sarina-bolden-scores-phs-first-ever-world-cup-goal">Sarina Bolden scores PH&#x27;s first ever World Cup goal</a></li></ul>There were tears at the final whistle after the Filipinas held on for the historic triumph. They had pressed for an insurance goal in the second half but could not convert, and had to do some desperate defending in the closing stretch as New Zealand pushed forward. Stajcic won&#x27;t deny that the Filipinas caught some breaks: Hannah Wilkinson -- New Zealand&#x27;s hero against Norway last week -- sent an attempt over the bar, and a strike by Jacqui Hand hit the post before it was secured by McDaniel.And in the 68th minute, Hand put the ball into the back of the net, only for the goal to be disallowed after a VAR review because Wilkinson was just a fraction offside in the build-up. &quot;New Zealand had three or four unbelievable chances, and the VAR call and the inside of the post. If there was a true reflection of a football match, they deserve something in the game,&quot; Stajcic acknowledged. &quot;But you know, as I said, the unity and work rate and heart from the team was special, and we had some luck, but we also earned our luck,&quot; he stressed. &quot;We earned that win through all those other qualities that make this team special.&quot;The result was significant in more ways than one: the Philippines became the first debutant to win a game in the FIFA Women&#x27;s World Cup 2023, while also throwing Group A wide open heading into the third match day. Switzerland and Norway battled to a goalless draw later Tuesday. Stajcic was especially proud that it took the Filipinas just two matches before racking up a first win. Co-host New Zealand, for instance, lost their first 15 World Cup matches before beating Norway last Thursday in front of a record crowd at Eden Park.&quot;When you hear the stories of how long it&#x27;s taken other teams to win World Cup matches -- New Zealand, I think it was their 15th or 16th match. So that&#x27;s what, five or six World Cups? I was just watching Colombia and Korea before we left for the match, and the commentator said that they both had one win each,&quot; he noted.&quot;I know that Korea&#x27;s been to at least four or five World Cups, and Colombia&#x27;s been to three or four. So, to think that we&#x27;ve done it in our second match, in our first World Cup… You can&#x27;t really appreciate how far we&#x27;ve come back from in the pack compared to where those countries were, you know, in terms of their football history, their culture, their investment in women&#x27;s football,&quot; he added.For the players, the result is a massive boost of confidence that allows them to dream of even bigger feats -- including possibly getting out of the group stage.&quot;I think we&#x27;ve come to play, we&#x27;ve come to compete, and ultimately winning games is what it&#x27;s all about. So we take tonight&#x27;s performance and we take it as a positive. We take all the good things and we look at all the bad things and try to get some learnings out of that,&quot; said Angie Beard, who put it another superb shift over 90-plus minutes.&quot;And we look at our last game -- hopefully not our last game, hopefully we make it out of the group. And then yeah, we just go from there.&quot;For the moment, however, they will take time to relish a triumph that Stajcic said is at the top of his long list of achievements as head coach. &quot;Probably No. 1, how can you beat that? Beating the host nation in a World Cup. Without question, it&#x27;s No. 1,&quot; he said.<div>RELATED VIDEO</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gZFPdXC8PgI?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The Filipinas entered the FIFA Women's World Cup wanting to prove that they belong on the biggest stage that football has to offer.

With upset of New Zealand, Filipinas deliver another special moment

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With upset of New Zealand, Filipinas deliver another special moment

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 25, 2023 07:06 PM PHT

Read More:

football

FIFA

FIFA Women's World Cup

Filipinas

PWNFT

New Zealand

Alen Stajcic

Philippine women's national football team

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