Filipina5 suffers humbling loss over Poland in FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup debut

Filipina5 forward Dionesa Tolentin tried to shake off her defender in the Philippines' 2025 FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup opener against Poland. (Photo: PFF)

A nightmarish start woke up the host Philippines from the middle of a dream when it started its 2025 FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup campaign.

The Filipina5 absorbed a one-sided 6-0 beating from European giant Poland in their Group A opener at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Friday, November 21.

Forward Julia Basta led the way for coach Wojciech Weiss’s side with two goals, while Natalia Matuszewska, Julia Szostak, and Klaudia Dyminska added a goal each. Fixo Klaudia Kubaszek earned the Player of the Match honor with her vision and passing.

“Right now we’re euphoric. We were really strong as a team, put in a very good performance, and scored six goals. But the game’s over and we need to start thinking about Argentina,” said Kubaszek, as reported by FIFA.

Poland will take on the sixth-ranked Argentines in the same venue on Monday. Earlier in the opening day, the South American side demolished reigning African champion Morocco, 6-0.

Futsal analyst Roy Moore explained that the Filipina5 was “largely a football team” against an experienced futsal squad, who pounced on their inexperience, such as “bad marking” in the defensive end.  

“PH [Philippines] offered very little going forward. Samantha [Hughes] tried playing long ball from goal too often and not accurate. Passing combinations didn't work. Poland dominated from the second half, and it could have been many more,” said Moore, who was known for his futsal grassroots works in the Philippines, in an analysis on Facebook.

Some members of the final 14-woman squad had only shifted from football to futsal months before the tournament — a reflection of the Philippines’ still-developing futsal player pool. According to reports, the Philippine Football Federation pushed for the inclusion of more football players in the women’s futsal program, believing their athletic profile could translate well, while they’re still adapting to futsal-specific demands.

It came after the then-called “Pinay5” finished fifth in the five-nation 2024 ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championship. That roster was composed of standouts from the High 5 Futsal League and national football players selected by former Philippine women’s national futsal team mentor Vic Hermans during a trial period.

ALSO READ: Hermans lauds Philippines’ progress in ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championship despite last-place finish

Hermans, who was “realigned” to the Philippine men’s futsal program before being succeeded by Spanish tactician Rafael Merino in December 2024, had long stressed the distinction between football and futsal.

“When I was younger, you always looked at the technique and challenged what the player had,” said the Dutch mentor, who guided Hong Kong, Thailand, and Iran in the FIFA Futsal World Cup, in an interview with One Sports. “Now, in these days, we are also looking at discipline and the commitment to the team. That's number one, when you have players with no commitment to the team, forget them.”

Dionesa Tolentin nearly put the Philippines on board in the fifth minute, but her shot hit the post – it’s among the scoring chances created by the nationals in the opening half that gave the partisan crowd of over 2,000 hopes of an upset.

But it’s only a matter of time before Poland controls the game’s pace and dominates the floor completely. 

Basta fired a stunning long strike that overpowered the Philippine goalkeeper Hughes to give the Poles a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute before Matuszewska doubled their advantage with a minute left heading into the halftime break.

The Polish onslaught continued in the second half with Szostak and Basta finding the back of the net in the 23rd and 24th minute for a 4-0 deficit, which was too high for the Filipina5 to climb.

An unfortunate own goal by Lanie Ortillo in the 26th minute added to the Philippines' woes, and a Dyminska goal four minutes later sealed the deal for the visitors.

Merino still lauded his ward’s performance despite the heavy defeat, saying their early chances could have spelled the difference.

“It’s not a loss, but I think we did a really good game. Keeping this level for 40 minutes is a lot of time,” he said through an interpreter in the mixed zone, as quoted by Rappler Sports. “Poland is a good team, so I’m not sad. I’m happy with how we played for 40 minutes.”

Echoing him, Tolentin rued her missed opportunity to score the Philippines’ first-ever goal in a FIFA Futsal World Cup but vowed to come stronger when they take on Morocco on Monday, November 24.

“Alam ko hindi hindi po ito ‘yung resulta na gusto namin pero proud po ako sa ginawa ng team namin at lumaban po kami hanggang dulo,” she said in a report by ABS-CBN Sports. “Ito 'yung lesson namin kung paano kami mag-step up sa next game.”