AS part of the build-up of the World Cup-bound national women’s football team, the Philippine Football Federation will host the Asean Football Federation Women’s Championship from July 4 to 17 with a record 11 teams seeing action.
Seeking to build on their bronze medal finish in the last Vietnam Southeast Asian Games, the Filipinas found themselves in tough Group A with Vietnam SEA Games tormentor Thailand, continental powerhouse Australia, Singapore and Malaysia in the draw last Saturday afternoon at the PFF office in Pasig City.
Playing in Group B of the tourney supposed to be staged by the PFF in 2020 but delayed by the pandemic are newly-crowned SEA Games women’s champion Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.
PFF President Mariano Araneta Jr. has said the AFF Women’s Championship is part of the preparations of the Pinay booters, who qualified for the first time to the FIFA Women’s World Cup next year after reaching the semifinals of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in India last February.
It will be the 12th appearance of the Philippines in the premier women’s tournament in Southeast Asia as it bids to improve on its fourth-place finish in the 2019 edition in Chonburi, Thailand.
The charges of Australian coach Alan Stajcic are out to avenge their 0-3 semifinal loss to the Thais in the Vietnam SEA Games at the Cam Pha Stadium in Bac Ninh Province.
It will be a tough group gauntlet for the hosts, who will also face the Vietnamese, fresh from their successful title-retention bid in the 31st SEA Games, are also the reigning AFF Women’s Football champions.
The Matildas are the highest ranked squad in the field, currently at No. 12 in the FIFA world ratings.
Matches will be played at the Binan Football Stadium in Laguna and at the Imus City Stadium in Cavite.
