SEAG Football: Young Azkals eliminated as Malditas were badly beaten

By Kevin Estrada

MANILA -- It was the saddest day for Filipino football fans in the Southeast Asian Games, as the medal hopes of both its Women's and Men's Under-22 teams were all but dashed in their penultimate fixtures earlier today in Malaysia.

Marlon Maro's quest in getting the country's first medal in men's football will have to wait for two more years, yielding to the defending SEAG champion Thailand in Selayang, 2-0.

Worawoot Srimaka's men put the Young Azkals away with a first-half performance, with Montree Promsawa shoved the Thais ahead with a diving header in the 28th minute.

Sittichok Kannoo then sealed the Filipinos' doom in Group B with a close-ranged shot in added time to condemn them to their third straight loss.

The Young Azkals will play for pride on Thursday, capping off their SEA Games campaign against still-winless East Timor who are playing against Cambodia as of this writing.

Over in UM Arena, Let Dimzon's medal aspirations took a massive hit, when Myanmar fired six without any reply on them to solidify their hold in the bronze medal position.

With a point to prove after missing out on Jordan, the Goldem Girls served up a huge lesson to the Women's Asian Cup-bound Malditas, with a pair of quick fire goals put the tie away when they lead 4-0 at the half.

Dimzon's decision to start Faith Ruetas on goal have backfired when Khin Moe Wai and Win Theingi Tun found the back of the net at the fourth and the sixth minute respectively.

Myanmar then piled on the misery to the former U-16 netminder, with two goals in a space of a minute through Yi Yi Ooi (18') and Naw Arlow Wer Phaw (19') forced Dimzon to replace her with first-choice Inna Palacios, who then kept a clean sheet until half time.

In the second half, Moe Wai added more insult to the injury, scoring two more goals in the 80th and in the 93rd minute to complete her hat-trick and end their campaign at 6 points.

With a massive -8 goal difference, the Malditas will have to win convincingly against Thailand to get a shot at the bronze.

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