Ramirez fulfills vow, lifts Philippines with last-gasp winner vs. Vietnam
- Rodolfo Dacleson II
- Dec 11, 2025
- 3 min read
Mallie Ramirez made a promise after the Philippines’ narrow 2-1 loss to Myanmar in their opening match of the 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
“We're gonna keep working, and we're gonna win against Vietnam,” said Ramirez, who delivered the equalizer, in an interview with One Sports.
Against arguably the strongest team in the competition, it was a bold declaration. The Golden Star Women Warriors came off a 7-0 rout of Malaysia to show why they're the reigning four-peat champions in the regional meet.
Despite the odds, the Cebu-born youngster backed up her words.
The 21-year-old forward scored the biggest goal of her career yet to lift the Philippines past Vietnam, 1-0, keeping its medal hopes alive at the Chonburi Stadium in Thailand on Monday, December 8.
Ramirez was in the right place at the right time, smashing the ball into the net in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time, after Vietnamese keeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh denied substitute Alessandrea Carpio’s header.
The rebound fell perfectly in front of Ramirez, who didn’t take the opportunity for granted. It was her second goal of the tournament in her two senior caps.
“Similar to my first goal against Myanmar, I saw the ball going into Hali [Long] in the box, and I knew I needed to attack that space in the front post. I thought maybe the keeper would lob it, and I just wanted to be in the right moment at the right time and capitalize on it,” said the University of Nevada, Las Vegas product, as quoted by the Philippine Football Federation.
More than scoring the game-winning goal, donning the tricolor jersey is everything for Ramirez.
“Maraming salamat. Just to walk out of the stadium and see that my whole country is out there supporting us means a lot. To score that goal and make our country proud means the world to me,” she said.
Her uncle, Luigi Ramirez, told CDN Digital that while Mallie grew up in the United States (US), she remains a Cebuana at heart.
“The pride in her being a Cebuana comes from being raised by my sister,” he said. “Even though she [went to] the US, she understands and speaks our language. The heritage is important, and I could not be more proud of her.”
Some Filipino historians and cultural scholars have described Cebuanos as an ethnic group known for their pride, strong community orientation, resilience, and straightforward communication – traits Ramirez could bring to the table for the national team, and already demonstrated when they needed her the most.
She proved instrumental in helping the Filipinas remind their fans to believe in them. Following their unforgettable maiden World Cup appearance in 2023, expectations are high for the team, but things haven’t always gone as planned.
This year, the Filipinas were stripped of their ASEAN crown in the Serenity Cup and failed to get positive results in home matches, falling to Chinese Taipei and settling for a draw with Uzbekistan. These results have sparked worries and doubts as they brace for their upcoming campaign in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, which will serve as a qualifying tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
While the road to a second consecutive World Cup remains challenging, veteran midfielder Jaclyn Sawicki, in an interview with Filipinas Futbol during the ongoing SEA Games, summed up the kind of motivation Ramirez and the rest of the Filipinas need: “Keep it at one game at a time.”
The Philippines must secure a decisive win against Malaysia on Thursday, December 11, to book a semifinal spot.
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