Thais boot Malditas out of AFC Asian Cup

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Malditas bombed out of the medal rounds of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup after absorbing a 1-3 setback to Thailand Thursday night in Jordan but lived to fight for another day in its overall goal of crashing next year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup. 

By finishing third in Group A with three points on one win and two losses, the Pinay booters earned their spot in the fifth place playoff, where the remaining Asian ticket to the France WWC will be at stake.

It will be tall order, though, as the Malditas have to topple the No. 3 team in Group B, which could be anyone among Australia, Japan or Korea, to catch the last bus to the world meet.

Kanjana Sung-Ngoen fired a brace to help the Thais virtually take the fight out of the Malditas, who needed a victory no less to get an outright trip to France.

Reprising her role in Thailand’s fifth place win that clinched WWC qualification last time, Sung-Ngoen cashed in on a handball committed by Phl captain Tahnai Annis to deliver the point in the first 28 minutes then doubled the lead with her 53rd minute strike off Suchawadee Nildhamrong’s pass.