Filipinas to toughen up at home next month

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INSTEAD of a training camp in the US as earlier planned, the Filipinas will have one instead late next month, highlighted by an intrasquad match at the soon-to-open Mall of Asia football field in Pasay City, the Philippine Football Federation announced yesterday.

“I am really looking forward to having the Filipinas back in action at home in Manila where their supporters can get a chance to experience the team up close in one of the city’s new and exciting football coaches,” Australian coach Mark Torcaso, who calls the shots for the Filipinas, said in a statement. 

“With the Asean Women’s Football Championship and Asian Cup qualifiers taking place midyear, and the Southeast Asian Games held in December, there’s a lot of play for us in 2025,” Torcaso said. “This camp gives us a great opportunity to continue building the foundation for the way we want to play.

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“The Filipinas haven’t spent much time at home since their historic World Cup run, so it’s a really good opportunity for all the fans to connect with the team,” explained the Australian tactician.

Expected to be back in harness for the Nationals are mainstays Katrina Guillou and Isabella Flanigan, who played pivotal roles in the Filipina5 qualifying for the AFC Women’s Asian Futsal Cup in China and May.

They were vital cogs as the PH women’s futsal side booked a ticket to the meet after finishing as the best third-ranked team in the qualifying stage with two wins, one loss and one draw in Group C held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan early this month.  

National team manager Freddy Gonzales said having the training camp at home is a “chance for our players to savor the experience in front of their supporters. I can’t think of a better way to introduce the new Mall of Asia football field to the local public.

“Nine days of solid work at home, familiarizing with one another, and with coach Mark’s game model will be a great way to start big in 2025 for the Filipinas,” Gonzales, the PFF director for senior national teams, said.

He added the public can learn more details about the Feb. 25 match at the new MOA pitch by keeping tabs on the social media platforms of the national women’s football team.

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