AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026: Iran’s campaign ends after loss to Philippines [VIDEO]

AFC – GOLD COAST, The Philippines kept alive their hopes of making the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ knockout stage on Sunday by defeating Iran 2-0.

A goal in each half confirmed third place in Group A and Mark Torcaso’s side will hope they have done enough to advance as one of the two best third-placed teams, with the final round of matches in the other two groups to be played in the next two days.

Both sides made four changes each to their line-ups in a game they had to win to stay in contention, with the red shirts of Iran making a stronger start against opponents placed 27 places higher in the FIFA rankings.

Sent through on goal by Fatemeh Pasandideh in the sixth minute, Sara Didar struck her effort firmly but straight into the grateful gloves of Olivia McDaniel, in an early scare for the Philippines.

The Southeast Asians did settle into proceedings thereafter and began to work Raha Yazdani, who was making her first start of the tournament.

The 38-year-old custodian got down smartly to deal with Sara Eggesvik’s shot from a tight angle, before producing an even better stop to palm away Jael-Marie Guy’s rasping long-range strike at the near post.

Eggesvik was denied again in the 13th minute by Yazdani, who assuredly gathered a low shot amid a steady drizzle on a day where it had not stopped raining in the Gold Coast, before foiling Mallie Ramirez when she sneaked in to meet a ball over the top.

In between those attempts, Team Melli Banovan were desperately unfortunate not to open the scoring through Fatemeh Shaban, who cut in from the right and curled the ball against the far post with McDaniel beaten all ends up.

The breakthrough did arrive a minute before the half-hour as Eggesvik finally got the better of Yazdani, reacting smartly to a loose ball and firing in the Filipinas’ first goal of Australia 2026 despite the Iranian goalkeeper getting a glove to the shot.

Yazdani – the oldest player at the tournament – then came to Iran’s rescue in the 45th minute with a fantastic point-blank save to keep out Jessika Cowart, who looked odds-on to convert at the far post, before saving efforts from Alexa Pino and Guy.

Finding it difficult to work the ball into the box, Iran’s threat came mainly from range and Fatemeh Pasandideh was next to have a go as her 54th-minute effort flew a metre or so beyond the top right corner.

Jaclyn Sawicki should have done better a few minutes later as she thrashed the ball over from six yards, as the dark blue jerseys looked to add to their lead. At the other end, Atefeh Imani might have felt likewise after heading the ball wide from a decent position in the 71st minute.

The pressure finally told in the 82nd minute as substitute Chandler McDaniel kept her cool to fire the ball past Yazdani, with the aid of a deflection off Melika Motevalli.

It was nearly three a minute later as Ariana Markey, who had impressed after coming on in the second half, cracked a powerful strike off the bar. McDaniel was then denied a brace after tapping in Alessandrea Carpio’s cut-back, with the latter adjudged to have strayed offside in the buildup.

Try as they might, a third was not forthcoming for the Philippines even with six minutes of time added on, while Iran concluded their second tournament outing after turning in three gutsy displays.