By Ivan Stewart Saldajeno

(Photo courtesy of PFF)

MANILA – Make way for the new queens of Southeast Asian football!

The Philippine women’s football team won the AFF Women’s Championship after beating Thailand, 3-0, in the Sunday night final at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

In front of 8,257 fans, the Filipinas won their first ever championship in the regional event in style, blanking Thailand, perennially a known Asian football powerhouse in both the men’s and the women’s divisions, in the title game and exacting their revenge from their group stage loss last Tuesday.

Jessika Cowart opened the account for the Filipinas in the eighth minute after slotting the ball in off a Tahnai Annis corner kick.

Katrina Guillou added the Filipinas’ second goal in the 20th minute after she recovered the ball from a scramble.

Defense then came to work for the Filipinas the rest of the way, and their shutdown of Thailand was rewarded in the 89th minute when Sarina Bolden headed home the dagger which also sealed her win as the tournament’s best scorer with eight goals.

This is the Philippines’ first championship in any AFF-sanctioned international tournament, getting to the chip first than their male counterparts, the Azkals.

In the bronze medal match, Myanmar came from behind to stun Vietnam, 4-3. (PNA)