AFC Women's Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers - Group C: Australia stay perfect; Uzbekistan, Philippines also through

Tashkent: Australia topped Group C of the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup™ China 2025 Qualifiers with a 2-1 win against the Philippines on Sunday.

Uzbekistan finished as the runners-up after a 6-2 defeat of Turkmenistan while there was cheer for the Philippines as they sealed a debut appearance at the Finals as the best third-placed side across the four groups. Australia will also be making a first appearance.

Australia finished with a perfect 12 points, while Uzbekistan edged the Philippines on goal difference, with both having accumulated seven points.

Philippines 1-2 Australia
Australia started the more aggressive side and nearly took the lead in the second minute when Meaghan Mcelligot burst down the left before cutting inside the centre but Philippines goalkeeper Samantha Hughes foiled her attempt.

The Philippines should have scored two minutes later when Isabella Flanigan created the opening for Katrina Guillou, who sent her grounded effort wide of the left post.

The deadlock was finally broken by Australia in the seventh minute when Daisy Arrowsmith pounced on a stray clearance from Judy Connolly before striking a powerful drive into the back of the net.

The Philippines refused to give in and equalised with 30 seconds left on the clock after Isabella Flanigan’s shot from outside the area was deflected into the back of the net by Halle Smit.

Australia, however, scored within seconds of the restart after Claudia Fruscalzo set up Jessica Au at the far post for an easy finish to snatch the win.

Uzbekistan 6-2 Turkmenistan

Uzbekistan, needing to win by two clear goals to progress, wasted no time as they opened the scoring just two minutes into the match, Turdiboeva Feruza combining brilliantly with Shoyimova Maftuna, who finished with a simple tap-in.

Turkmenistan struggled to contain their Central Asian rivals and conceded again just a minute later when the Feruza-Maftuna combination struck again, with the latter squeezing a shot past goalkeeper Malika Eminova.

Maftuna completed her hat-trick in the 10th minute but Turkmenistan reduced the deficit in the 16th minute after Lale Haipova started a move that was finished by Kurbanova Pervana, who struck past keeper Nurullaeva Sevara.

Maftuna showed her class three minutes after the restart when she scored with a powerful strike from just above the arc.

Turkmenistan, despite having already been eliminated, refused to back down with Kamila Mingazova scoring a minute later from an acute angle into the top right corner over a rooted Sevara.

However, Maftuna restored Uzbekistan’s three-goal advantage in the 34th minute when she collected Sevara’s long throw before outfoxing her marker on the turn to slot home her fifth strike of the evening.

Nilufar Kudratova grabbed Uzbekistan’s sixth in the 39th minute after pouncing on Eminova’s errant pass to slot home into an empty net to seal the impressive win.

Qualifiers - Group C: Australia stay perfect; Uzbekistan, Philippines also through

Qualifiers - Group A: Bahrain edge Palestine to advance

Qualifiers - Group B: Indonesia finish top in style

Qualifiers - Group D: Vietnam fight back to pip Chinese Taipei

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