By: Romeo Braceros Jr.

Photo: Futsal Philippines

On Saturday night at the storied Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila, the Philippine Women's National Futsal Team lost to Guam by 1-0.

“I know these players. They can play much better than what they showed this evening,” said Philippine team coach Vic Hermans.

With 4:13 left in the game, Koharu Minato of Guam scored the game's lone goal on a dangerous counterattack to give the visitors victory.

The Filipinas made several tries at the Guam goal to recover, but it was simply not meant to be.

Futsal is an association football-based game played on a hard court smaller than a football pitch and mainly indoors. 

It has similarities to five-a-side football and indoor soccer.

Futsal is played between two teams of five players, one of whom is the goalkeeper. 

Unlimited substitutions are permitted. 

Unlike some other forms of indoor soccer, it is played on a hard court surface marked by lines; walls or boards are not used. 
It is played with a smaller, harder, lower-bounce ball than a football.

The surface, ball, and rules favor ball control and passing in small spaces.

The game emphasizes control, improvisation, creativity, and technique.