The Philippine national women’s ice hockey team scripted history by clinching their first-ever gold medal at the 2025 IIHF Women’s Asia Cup. The Filipinas defeated defending champion Iran with a 4-2 stunner in the final held in the UAE.
The match marked a major milestone for the country’s ice hockey program, which had never previously reached the top of the podium since the tournament’s inception in 2010.
Entering the competition as the underdogs, the Philippine squad had a perfect tournament in Al Ain with victories against Kyrgyzstan (15-0), UAE (6-1), Malaysia (8-1) and India (4-1) before beating Iran for the gold.
2025 Women’s Ice Hockey Asia Cup: Philippines vs Iran
In the final match, they defeated Iran 4-2, despite being outshot 26-18 by their rivals.
At the end of the first period, the Philippine team trailed by a goal, as Asal Sadeghi drew first blood for Iran.
In the second period, the Philippines scored three unanswered goals by Ileana Jimenez, Jasmin Alcido and Bianca Cuevas for a 3-1 lead.
Iran’s Maliheh Ali Bektou, however, scored with less than three minutes left in the second period to cut the Philippines’ lead down to one, 3-2.
But Alcido scored another goal for the Philppines with two minutes and 46 seconds left in regulation to seal the victory.
Rosalyn Lim stopped 24 out of 26 shots and had a .923 save percentage.
Jasmin Alcido was the tournament’s top scorer with 18 goals and 6 assists for 24 points in five games. She scored seven goals in the victory over Kyrgyzstan, five against UAE and two each against Malaysia, India, and Iran.
Also Read: Philippines Win Historic Gold At Asian Winter Games 2025
The Women’s Ice Hockey Asia Cup has long been dominated by Middle Eastern and East Asian countries, making the Philippines’ gold medal even more significant. Since its launch in 2010, the tournament has showcased the best emerging female talent in the region.
The win in the UAE underscores the growing presence of Filipino athletes in global competitions and sets a thrilling precedent for future IIHF tournaments.
Meanwhile, India defeated Kyrgyzstan 3-2 in shootout to win the bronze medal.
