LED by veteran team captain and goalkeeper Inna Palacios, nine veterans of the national women’s squad that reached the semifinals of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games lead the side that will see action in Group F of the AFC Asian Women’s Cup qualifiers starting this Saturday in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Aside from Palacios, other carryovers are defenders Hali Long, the co-captain; Chelo Hodges, Tara Shelton, Patricia Tomanon, midfielders Sara Castaneda, Charisa Lemoran, Camille Rodriguez and forward Alisha del Campo, who were all named in the release posted in the Philippine Football Federation website last Monday night.
Defender Ryle Bugay and midfielders Tahnai Annis and Jessica Miclat, who all saw action for the Maditas in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Amman, Jordan in 2018, are also back in harness for the team that is bracketed with Hong Kong and Nepal.
The Malditas kick off their campaign against the Nepalese on Saturday before tackling Hong Kong on Sept. 24 in matches to be held both at the JAR Stadium in Taskhkent.
Also returning are defender Sofia Harrison and midfielders Anicka Castaneda and Camille Harrison, who are all veterans of the AFF Women’s Football championships.
The rookies are Fil-Am goalie Olivia Davies McDaniel and Isabelle Mapano, midfielders Malea Cesar and Alyssa Ube and strikers Arianna Lepage and Chandler McDaniel.
The final 22-man roster of the Malditas was formed after tryouts conducted by the national coach Marlon Marlo in California last August with the help of deputies Michael Agbayani, Jose Maria Aberasturi, Marlon Pinero, Anthony Albao and Rose Ton Barinan.
The group topnotcher will advance to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup to be held from Jan. 20 to Feb. 6, 2022 in the Indian cities of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune, with the top five teams after the knockout stage qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 2023.
