AUSTRALIAN coach Marc Torcaso views the Filipinas’ two friendly matches against South Korea starting today as another step for further growth and the direction he wants the national women’s football team to take in the days and months ahead.
In a rematch between the group rivals in the Hangzhou Asian Games women’s football tournament last year, the Filipinas tangle with the Taeguk Ladies, as the South Korean women’s side is known, at 7 p.m. (6 p.m. Manila time) at the Incheon Sports Complex in Incheon, South Korea.
“Playing against top teams like South Korea is part of our direction and trajectory for the next six to 12 months. We want to play the best if we want to be the best,” Torcaso said in an online press conference Wednesday night from the South Korean city.
He said the two-match series will determine how far the Filipinas have progressed since competing in the four-nation Pinatar Cup San Pedro del Pinatar in Murcia, Spain last February.
“We see these friendlies against South Korea as a no-brainer to continue on the category that we want and close the gap on the other teams while going up the rankings in Asia in particular,” Torcaso explained.
The last time the two sides met, South Korea, currently ranked 20th in the world, whipped the Philippines 5-1, ranked 39th, in the group stage of the Hangzhou Asian Games women’s football competition.
Torcaso has brought in a couple of new and young faces to give them exposure and the experience of being a member of the national senior squad.
Among them are forwards Nina Mathelus, Alessandrea Carpio and Chayse Ying and goalkeeper Nina Meollo, 19, who plays for the Ipswich Town Football Club women’s team in the English FA Women’s Premier League South.
“This is a long-term project in building our national team and we have a lot of promising young players who are all excited and thrilled to be part of the senior team,” he said. “We are trying to create an environment that is both welcoming and inclusive, where you can put your best forward and ply your trade.”
Since there are no major international women’s football events this year, he and his coaching staff would use the time to broaden their network of connections in scouting for more potential Filipinas both at home and abroad.
