THE Filipinas take the first pivotal step in their bid to qualify for the 2027 AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia when they tackle the higher-ranked United Arab Emirates national women’s side in the first of two friendly matches today in the progressive UAE city of Dubai.
Currently ranked No. 141 in the FIFA women’s world ratings, the charges of Australian tactician Mark Torcaso face the UAE booters, ranked No. 112, at 7:30 p.m. (11:30 p.m. in Manila) at the UAE Football Association headquarters pitch.
The hosts are now under celebrated and well-traveled veteran Dutch coach Vera Pauw, who steered Ireland to its first FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance in 2023, which was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
In a brief interview during the team’s first training session the other day after arriving in Dubai, Torcaso said that “we had a short introduction session, a bit of fun and familiarization for the commencement of our two games here.
“It is exciting to be here and I know all the girls are excited to be here as well. We are looking forward to the two games we have to play here.”
He said that playing against the highly-rated Dubai squad is part of the long odyssey for the Filipinas to make it back to the World Cup in Brazil two years from now.
“The important thing to know is that there is a big process in getting to the World Cup (again). Our goal is to get to the Asian Cup first with the qualifiers, which commences with this,” the Aussie mentor said.
He praised their rivals, the two-time West Asian Football Federation women’s champions, and the new Dutch coach, saying: “We know that they (UAE) will give us a good game. They have a very good coach (in Pauw) who has World Cup experience. We are excited to come here and give ourselves every opportunity to qualify for the Asian Cup.”
Among the initial goals of the PH squad in Dubai, he said, was “to come here and continue to implement our (playing) style, which of course, takes a little bit of time. We have fresh faces here as well, so we are also familiarizing ourselves with each other in a good competitive environment.”
Torcaso said the two friendlies against UAE and another pair of friendly games against Chinese-Taipei at home during the next FIFA window from May 26 to June 3 would prime the Nationals so that “we will be prepared and qualify in the Asian Cup qualifiers for next year’s Asian Cup.”
The Philippines was bracketed as the top-ranked squad in Group G in the qualifiers that include Cambodia, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia and will be held from June 29 to July 5 in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh.
The Filipinas kick off their campaign against the Saudis on June 29, then face the Cambodians on July 2 before wrapping up their group assignment against the Hong Kong footballers on July 5, with the group topnotcher booking a ticket to the Asian Cup set March 1 to 21, 2027 in Australia.
