Malditas clobber Iranians in AFC Asian Cup opener

Matches tonight (Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka)

6 p.m. (Manila time) – Philippines vs Thailand

9 p.m. (Manila time) – Bangladesh vs Iran

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Malditas stormed to an explosive start in the 2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers, making mincemeat of higher-ranked Iran, 6-0, Tuesday night at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Charging at the Iranians (52nd) right off kickoff, the Malditas (83rd) unleashed three goals in the first four minutes to set the tone for the rout that put them in the company of Thailand at the top of Group B. The Thais (29th) walloped host Bangladesh (109th), 9-0, in the other opening day match.

The Filipinas and the Thais will tangle tonight at 6 p.m. (Manila time) in a crucial encounter that will likely give the winner the inside track in the race for top spot in the group and its lone berth to the Asian Cup.

The Malditas wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as they won a corner after a long-range shot by Jesse Shugg in the first minute. Natasha Alquiros delivered the corner kick to Heather Cooke who headed it in for the first goal.

Megan Jurado connected just two minutes after that and then Shugg blasted it home off a backheel pass from Joana Houplin in the fourth to make it 3-0. Phl picked up a fourth goal on a silver platter as Iran defender Sharshin Kamangar misunderstood the cross from Cooke completely and netted in her own net at the 34th. Houplin (41’) and Shugg (90+2) accounted for Phl’s last two goals.

“We know that we have a strong team. We have a system that is capable to score and today we prove that our system works.” Malditas coach Ernie Nierras said in a report by Daily Sun.

The Malditas utilized a 3-6-1 formation, the same one used by Nierras for his UFL team Stallion back home.

“We are the only team who are playing with 3-6-1 formation. When we do that people raises their eyebrow all around the world. This is the same system that we use in the professional team in Philippines as well. This is the playing style of the Filipinos. We have a lot of midfielders and we take advantage of that,” he added.