Malditas grouped with Jordan, China and Thailand in the Women's Asian Cup draw

By Kevin Estrada

The Philippines' begin their final quest for the Women's World Cup in 2019 with a good draw for the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup that was held yesterday in Amman, Jordan.

Underneath the Dead Sea, Richard Boon's Malditas rode with immense luck in pot 4 as they avoid the trio of South Korea, Australia and defending Asian queens Japan as they are drawn with Vietnam in Group B.

Instead, they are placed in Group A along with China, Thailand and the tournament hosts in whom they will face in their opener on April 6 next year.

Also unveiled on draw date was the tournament logo, as AFC opted to go superheroine for the tournament hosts who are flying the flag alone for the Middle East sides.

After a fifteen year wait since their last Asian Cup appearance, the 70th-ranked Malditas eye revenge not just on the Jordanians for their thrashing in Tajikistan during the qualifiers, but also with the 1983 champions in a rematch of their controversial qualifier in Bangladesh in which an offside flag practically gave the Thais a free ride to Canada.

In the tournament that will serve as the final round of Asian qualifiers, five teams will booking their flight to Paris in 2019: four semifinalists and the winner between the third-placed teams in a playoff.

http://www.dugout.ph/2017/12/malditas-grouped-with-jordan-china-and.html