Filipinas brace for opening match vs Switzerland
AUCKLAND. – As they make their grand FIFA Women’s World Cup debut on Friday against Switzerland, the Filipinas can be encouraged by another milestone they accomplished on home soil just slightly over a year ago.
On July 17, 2022, the charges of Australian coach Alen Stajcic completed a memorable fairytale campaign by capturing the 10th Asean Women’s Football Championship, climaxed by a clinical and vengeful 3-0 win over four-time champion Thailand at the packed Rizal Memorial Stadium.
“Never forget. On this day last year, we became champions of the AFF Women’s Championship,” the official Twitter account of the Filipinas said last Monday, with video clips of the lively players celebrating on the historic pitch after clinching the championship.
Along the way, they stunned the fancied Australian Matildas 1-0 in the group stage and demolished regional powerhouse Vietnam 4-0 in the semifinals, with irrepressible striker Sarina Bolden scoring a brace in the rousing triumph.
Their sound beating of the Thais in the championship match was a payback for the 0-1 defeat they suffered in the group stage that left them with the Vietnamese in the semis.
Not only was their successful title drive a huge boost for Philippine football, it also was the first major international plum by a Philippine national team.
After suffering a 1-5 setback to Sweden in an unofficial, closed-door friendly here last Monday, those memories should serve the Nationals well before taking their first step in the top football showcase for women in Group A against the Swiss on Friday.
Stajcic remained upbeat in quotes that appeared on the team’s Twitter account Wednesday.
“It’s been fantastic, can’t fault any one of the players. It’s such a beautiful group to work with and train with,” Stajcic said. “You know, I think that they are really excited but, to be honest, they are not really showing it at the moment.
“They are just showing that they are willing to work hard and keep improving day to day.
And the culture around the team is fantastic. And the belief around the team just grows every day and I hope we can carry that into the first game.”
The Nationals held a meet-and-greet with local fans here Wednesday graced by Women World Cup mascot “Tazuni” and were joined by national team manager Jeff Cheng.
Supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, the Filipinas were scheduled to leave Thursday for Dunedin, considered the wildlife capital of New Zealand, 1,424-kilometers southwest from here.
The first of the Filipinas’ three group matches, which will be shown by cable TV provider Cignal TV, is scheduled at 5 p.m. (1 p.m. Manila time).
