‘Isn’t bad though’: Filipina5 could prove more amid World Cup elimination
- Rodolfo Dacleson II
- Nov 27, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 30, 2025
“Ang mahalaga, lumaban” is probably the most comforting line national team athletes would want to hear after falling short of a hard-fought battle. With regrets and disappointments within themselves, it’s reassuring and recognizes the valiant efforts they’ve shown.
The Philippine women’s national futsal team (PWNFT) needed such reassurance as they became the first nation to be eliminated in the 2025 FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup.
They suffered a painful 3-2 loss against Morocco at the Philsports Arena on Monday, November 24. It was their second defeat in as many matches in Group A.
Up 2-0 in the first half, they were indeed nearly there. That brief moment, which brought memories of the Filipinas winning a match in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, reminded the nation that it could dream of greater things.
Learning from Poland's teachings in their debut match, the Filipina5 took the lesson to heart and stepped into the Pasig venue with unshakable confidence.
In just four minutes, they offered the Filipino hopefuls a once-in-a-lifetime experience – seeing a Philippine football team score a goal in a World Cup on their home soil, and “it got to be Inday,” as some said on social media.
Ten months ago, Dionesa Tolentin, whom the Filipino fans call “Inday,” only tried her luck in a PWNFT tryout. It eventually became a career-changing moment for her after being chosen for the Filipina5’s final 14-woman lineup for the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup. But more than that, the Manukan, Zamboanga del Norte native had other “targets” in mind.
“She wants to score at the World Cup, help inspire young Filipina futsal players, and help Rafa Merino’s side succeed,” said a report by FIFA.
True to her words, the 25-year-old forward etched her name in Philippine futsal history as its first-ever World Cup goalscorer. She left the Moroccan defense stunned after rifling through her free kick, which went between a two-woman wall before going in. The Far Eastern University standout then ran into half-court and jumped into mid-air, hands clenched, to celebrate the brilliant goal, as the arena erupted.
“Nung first game pa lang [against Poland] na marami akong hindi na-convert into score and then after nun, nagre-reflect ako pa’no ako maka-score kasi gustong-gusto ko talagang mag-score lalo na World Cup 'to,” Tolentin told One Sports in the mixed zone. “Sobrang saya ko lang na mapamalas 'yung talent ko lalo na nandito po 'yung mga sumusuporta sa 'min.”
Three minutes later, the Filipina5 drew closer to an unimaginable upset against the current world no. 31 and reigning African champion.
Pivot Isabella Bandoja perfectly executed a hold-up play against two Moroccan defenders before feeding the ball to Catherine Graversen, who beat goalkeeper Kawtar Bentaleb with a right-footed strike for a 2-0 lead.
But as cheers and chants subsided and drums stopped beating, the Atlas Lionesses roared back in the first half for a strong finish heading into the dugout.
Nadia Laftah put the visitors on board near the 10-minute mark. She pounced on Katrina Gulliou’s bad positioning near the post, extending her leg to tap in Meryem Hajri’s pass. It then only took them nearly four minutes to tie the score with Siiham Tadlaui’s composed finish.
The Moroccan assault didn’t end there as Hajri got her second assist after feeding Jasmine Demraoui a lob pass she converted into their third and winning goal.
The Filipina5 desperately searched for the elusive equalizer in the second half before their ever-supportive sixth man in the bleachers. Opportunities came as they proved dangerous in transition, but that wasn’t enough. While the women in blue shirts felt down, the fans assured them that everything’s alright.
Roy Moore, a futsal grassroots development advocate in the Philippines, also lauded the team’s performance, saying: “Being out at this stage isn't 'bad' though. A close game against Morocco and keeping the score down against Poland and Argentina was always about as good as it would get. The gap is just too big, the level too high, to close in a year or two.”
He, however, stressed that the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) should have managed the expectations before the tournament, adding that proclaiming they’re going to the World Cup to win was an “unnecessary pressure on an impossible task.”
“With a slightly smaller attendance this time, reported at 1,771, it could all have been much better with dedicated and experienced storytellers giving what should be the actual narrative – a plucky underdog team from the grassroots of the Philippines, who need our support against the best in the world. Who knows winning wasn't the goal this time, but advancing the futsal cause long-term is. Those stories should have been told way in advance and would also have the benefit of educating newer fans who are a bit critical of the team's performance without understanding who the PH are up against and how big a task it is,” said Moore, who’s the executive director of the non-profit organization Fairplay For All Foundation, on Facebook.
Merino, meanwhile, said their inexperience took a toll on her wards, who he believed became “confused” after taking an unexpected two-nil lead early in the match.
“Well, I think that scoring two goals so fast, putting ourselves in front of the scoreboard, I think that it has surprised us a bit, and it has taken us out of the game plan that we had,” the Spanish head coach said through an interpreter, as quoted in a PFF media release. “We didn’t know that was going to happen. It affected the players emotionally – in a positive way – but it changed the game. We still lack the experience to handle that kind of scenario.”
Despite the agonizing defeat, the Filipina5 couldn’t afford to lose its will to fight. They’ll try, for the last time, to win or at least, end their World Cup campaign respectably. It won’t be easy, though, as they’re set to face their toughest foe yet – world no. 6 Argentina – on Thursday, November 27.
While the South American powerhouse has less to play after booking a spot in the quarterfinals, the Albiceleste would still want to sweep Group A. But like them, the Filipina5 is also motivated to prove they belong on the world stage.
“We can’t take these moments for granted. Who knows when we’re going to be at a World Cup again. The girls are going to keep their heads up and be resilient, as we always are. Play para sa bayan,” said Philippine midfielder Jaclyn Sawicki, who also represented the Southeast Asian side in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, in a GMA Sports report.
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