THE problem women’s football faces is the lack of opportunities for its standouts to showcase their skills.
So when a grueling schedule fills Olivia McDaniel’s calendar, she takes it all in stride.
“This is the life we chose,” McDaniel, the first-string national squad goalkeeper and Stallion Laguna FC star, said after leading her club team to a 1-0 victory over a fighting Capital1 squad in the PFF Women’s League before the Holy Week break.
“It’s a privilege to be able to play for the national team and then come here and play right away,” she said of the match held at Mall of Asia Football Pitch.
McDaniel’s Grade-A performance in between the posts helped preserve sister Chandler McDaniel’s 59th-minute goal against the Solar Strikers and hand Stallion the tournament lead with nine points from three games.
At six points are Kaya-Iloilo FC and Makati FC, both with games in hand.
Capital1 has three points, tied with University of the Philippines, who are coming off a 2-1 victory over University of Santo Tomas.
Patricia Espinosa (44th) and IsalynTundag (66th) came through for UP. UST’s goal was courtesy of Stephanie Lungastua in extra time.
The PFF Women’s League has given female booters the chance to showcase what they are made of, something that Solar Strikers keeper Yasmin Elauria doesn’t take for granted.
“There was time when after you graduated, there was nowhere else toplay football,” said Elauria, a product of the powerhouse Far Eastern U football program. “But now, there’s an opportunity to play in a semi-pro tournament like the Women’s League.”
“So I’m thankful, because it’s an improvement.”
And so Olivia McDaniel doesn’t complain even when having to jampack several games in a short period of time.
“We can’t have people feeling bad for us because there are many girls who would want to be in our position,” McDaniel said.
“I’m just really grateful that I get to be able to play three games in eight days. I’m tired and my body hurts but there’s nothing I’d rather be doing,” she added.
