WAC 2022: Chinese Taipei 1-1 (3-4 PSO) Philippines

 PUNE – The Philippines Women’s National Team clinched their place to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 after a pulsating 4-3 penalty shoot out win over Chinese Taipei at the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex.

Sarina Bolden netted the winning penalty, but it was Olivia McDaniel who loomed large during the shootout with two key penalty saves coupled with slotting her penalty kick.

“It’s an unbelievable achievement of the team,” said head coach Alen Stajcic after the match. “The group is really proud of each other, but we are more proud that we can inspire the next generation of players.”

Quinley Quezada, who made her return to the lineup, delivered for the Philippines with the opening goal in the opening minutes of the second half. A mad scramble to the ball saw Bolden and Katrina Guillou getting touches before the ball fell to Quezada, who flicked it past the goalkeeper.

Quezada, Bolden, and Chandler McDaniel pressed on for the second goal, but could not convert their chances. However with eight minutes left in the match, Chinese Taipei struck the equalizer as Zhou Li Ping latched on an effort from outside the box forcing extra-time.

Both sides were unable to convert their chances with penalties serving as the tiebreaker of which team.

Chinese Taipei netted their first three penalty kicks, while Castañeda and Annis converted their chances. Jessica Miclat and Hali Long saw their efforts saved, before McDaniel forced sudden death, slotting home her kick and denying Su Sin-Yun and Zhou.

Bolden was given the golden opportunity to win it for the Philippines, and unlike her effort against Indonesia, the forward sent it through on goal triggering scenes from Pune all the way to Manila.

With the World Cup slot already secured, the Philippines now eye their place in the final with the semi-final match against Korea Republic, which dispatched Australia, 1-0, scheduled on Thursday at the same venue.

https://pff.org.ph/2022/01/31/wac-2022-chinese-taipei-1-1-3-4-pso-philippines/

AFC Women's Asian Cup - Philippines 1-1 Chinese Taipei - Philippines qualify for FIFA Women's World Cup on PSO !

 

WAC 2022 Broadcast Announcement: Philippines’ Quarterfinals Match Vs Chinese Taipei Live On One Sports

 The Philippine Football Federation is pleased to announce its partnership with Eleven Sports and Cignal TV for the airing of the Women’s AFC Asian Cup 2022 quarterfinal match between the Philippines Women’s National Team and Chinese-Taipei.

The match at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune, India is scheduled at 10 p.m. Philippine time (7:30 p.m. in India).

Coached by Australian Alen Stajcic, the Philippines is on a historic run in the competition, winning over Thailand (1-0) and Indonesia (6-0) to finish second behind Australia in Group B.

With Australia also reaching the quarterfinals, the competition offers five more spots to the Fifa Women’s World Cup, which means that a victory by the Philippines on Sunday night will seal qualification.

“The PFF is proud of what the team has achieved so far in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022,” said PFF president Mariano Araneta.

“The hard work and sacrifice of the players and the members of the staff have reflected in the results and performances of the team in the tournament. The PFF hopes that, by airing what is probably the most important match in Philippine football history on free television, the team will be able to inspire more Filipinos and draw more support for the sport in the country.”

PFF general secretary Atty Edwin Gastanes said the team has embodied the country’s awe-inspiring resilience and never-say-die spirit in the tournament.

“We have a team that has proven that they deserve to be among the best teams in Asia,” said Gastanes. “The PFF is all-out in its support for the team, from the preparations until now as the team goes for history in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.”

Gastanes thanked Cignal TV for its support by allowing the match to be aired live on One Sports and One Sports plus.

“We are grateful for the cooperation of Cignal TV and Eleven Sports in making the live broadcast of the match in the Philippines possible.”

The PWNT is supported by team manager Jefferson Cheng, the Philippine Sports Commission and the MVP Sports Foundation.

https://pff.org.ph/2022/01/28/wac-2022-broadcast-announcement-philippines-quarterfinals-match-vs-chinese-taipei-live-on-one-sports/?fbclid=IwAR080viMhOIibcFfkqu6FG5YGqXjjqENQSoZvW7yBqZkTF1gkn_4gyTl88w

AFC Women's Asian Cup - Philippines 6-0 Indonesia

 

WAC 2022: Thailand 0-1 Philippines

 NAVI MUMBAI – Chandler McDaniel struck nine minutes from time as the Philippines ended its long losing spell to Thailand with a thrilling 1-0 victory last Friday night in Group B of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 at DY Patil Stadium here.

What looked like a speculative effort from McDaniel turned out to be the match-winner as veteran Thai goalkeeper Waraporn Boonsing made a mess out of the strike, allowing the ball to creep past the line in the 81st minute.

The Filipinas held their ground in the final minutes before picking up their first three points of the tournament at the expense of the Thais, who have won all of their previous 12 meetings with the Filipinos.

“It’s a massive win,” said PWNT’s Australian coach Alen Stajcic. “It definitely improves our chances of making the next round.”

The Top 2 teams in the group are guaranteed to make it to the quarterfinals together with two of the best third-placed teams from the three groups. Australia walloped Indonesia, 18-0, to take the lead in Group B ahead of the Philippines on goal difference. The Top 5 teams in the tournament will qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup next year.

The Filipinas fired an early warning shot when the debuting Katrina Guillou met McDaniel’s cross with a powerful effort inside the box in the 13th minute. But the goal was waived off as Guillou just strayed offside. Guillou was at it again minutes later as she ran into Sofia Harrison’s lofted pass, before hitting the crossbar with an effort from outside the box.

Hali Long who was celebrating her birthday also had a glorious chance in the first half when she broke free to get on the end of McDaniel’s delivery only for her to scoff the chance. The Filipinos limited the Thais to half chances in the opening 45 minutes as Long, Dominique Randle, Eva Madarang and Sofia Harrison were alert to the danger just like Olivia McDaniel who was making her first start on goal.

The Thais started the second half brightly, but still struggled to create clear-cut chances. Quinley Quezada had the best chance of the second half when she latched unto McDaniel’s through ball only to fire a tamed effort against Boonsing.

As the match looked headed for a stalemate, McDaniel found time and space just outside the box to test Boonsing again. This time, the veteran Thai goalkeeper lost her concentration, allowing the Filipinas to find the breakthrough.

The Philippines goes up against Australia on Monday at Mumbai Football Arena with a win guaranteeing a spot in the next round.

https://pff.org.ph/2022/01/22/wac-2022-thailand-0-1-philippines/

AFC Asian Women's Cup - Philippines 1-0 Thailand

 

Azkals eye ‘friendlies,’ camp in Europe; good luck Malditas!

 

by Erel Cabatbat

With the whole country practically experiencing a surge of new COVID cases in the past few weeks and the subsequent upgrade to Alert Level 3, the Philippine Azkals have to scuttle plans to hold a camp by the end of January.

Azkals’ team manager Dan Palami says they have to put into consideration the various quarantine protocols and travel restrictions being implemented not only here but in other countries as well where a number of Azkals are currently based.

“With everything going now in the world, and the rising cases in Europe and in the Philippines as well, we thought that the safety of players and our coaching staff was paramount so we decided to forego that important camp. Our team is composed of new players, younger players who need to have time together but unfortunately we can’t do that,” Palami explained.

Palami, however, revealed that there are plans to hold the camp in March in the hope that things are more feasible by that time. He said that there are FIFA calendar dates in March that will allow the international players of Azkals to go to the camp.

“We are looking at playing some games, maybe two games in Europe plus some training for the team,” added Palami.

Palami refused to reveal, for now, where exactly and which team they are going to play against, but he gave a clue.

“We are looking at a region in Spain as a possible venue for the camp and the games. We are still finalizing the details but in principle, there have some agreements among parties already. We just can’t disclose more details until the contracts are signed,” he said. “Once this is done, the parties will announce it together.”

For the meantime, local-based Azkals will have to train on their own. Their Under-23 counterparts are busy, despite quarantine restrictions and all, gearing up for the U-23 AFF Suzuki Cup set to unfold next month in Cambodia.

“Even assembling the team locally has been a challenge. Most of the players are in the provinces and those coming from outside the Philippines are having a hard time getting their flights. It is really a challenge,” Palami said.

The Under-23 camp and try-outs will start on Monday, January 24, 2022. With the players coming from a long break, Palami is not sure about their fitness. Palami is also giving much consideration on the possibility of the U-23 team leaving early for Cambodia.

“It will depend on the level of quarantine protocols in Cambodia. If they have stricter and longer quarantine protocols, it will be more ideal for us to just go to Cambodia much earlier and have the training there. Our foreign-based players can just fly directly to Cambodia and meet the team there,” Palami quipped.

Palami clarified that although there were call ups, the composition of the U-23 team is not yet final. The camp will include 2-3 days of tryouts and there will be players coming from youth teams before and newly-discovered talents who will compete for spots in the national team. The coaching staff then will choose the final composition of the team.

The U-23 team is in Group A in the competitions along with host Cambodia, Timor-Leste and Brunei. The team’s first game will be on February 14, 2022, 4 p.m. local time against Timor Leste at the Morodok Techo National Stadium.

https://manilastandard.net/sports/314121134/azkals-eye-friendlies-camp-in-europe-good-luck-malditas.html

Maranon and De Murga sign for JDT

 JOHOR BAHARU (20 Jan 2022) – Bienvenido Maranon and Carli de Murga have signed for Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim.

Both 35-year-old Maranon and 33-year-old De Murga were born in Spain but gained Filipino citizenship in recent years.

Maranon even played at the 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup in Singapore where he emerged as one of four of the tournament’s top scorers.

While Maranon will be making his debut in the Malaysian Super League in 2022, De Murga had turned out for Terengganu FC last season.

https://www.aseanfootball.org/v3/maranon-and-de-murga-sign-for-jdt/

With veteran coach, ample prep, PH women's football team could make splash in AFC Women's Asian Cup

 By RYAN FENIX

Once upon a time, the thought of seeing a Philippines football team in the FIFA World Cup seemed like an impossible dream.

This longing even inspired some football fans to come up with a Facebook group “Gusto Kong Makita ang Azkals sa World Cup Bago Ako Mamatay” (I want to see the Azkals in the World Cup before I die).

While it might yet take the men’s team quite a bit more time to feature in the FIFA World Cup, our Women’s National Team on the other hand are just that bit closer to joining football’s biggest stage.

The Philippine national women’s football team is currently in India for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup and while victory in the Asian Cup might be a step too far for the Philippines, progressing deep in this tournament could lead to qualification to the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

That is because the Asian Cup offers at least five World Cup spots from the AFC for the 12 participating teams, with more spots up for grabs depending on World Cup host Australia’s progression in the Asian Cup.

And with ample preparation ahead of the tournament, coupled with a veteran coach at the helm, Filipino fans can be forgiven for feeling confident about our team’s chances in the tournament.

Most of the team have been training together in a camp in Los Angeles, California since November, the two-month long training camp affording the team a great chance to work on team chemistry, fitness and team tactics.

Jeff Cheng, team manager of the women’s team and co-chair of the PFF Women’s Team Committee, elaborated:

“First and foremost, we were looking for a camp venue where our players, coaches and staff will be safe. The camp allowed the players to be able to play together and build the cohesion needed to give our best performance.”

“It (also) allowed the team as well to play against quality competition in the USA.”

Leading the team from the bench will be former Australian Women’s head coach Alen Stajcic, who led the Matildas to the quarterfinals of the 2015 Women’s World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics and was instrumental in leading Australia’s rise in the women’s game.

With a wealth of experience coaching the women’s game and great attention to detail, Stajcic’s guiding hand will be priceless for the Philippines, who will be looking to progress past the group stages of the Asian Cup for the first time.

But, Stajcic is equally impressed with his players donning the Philippine colors.

“They’re a united and passionate group.”

“What impressed me the most is their willingness to work hard for each other and learn,” he told the The Asian Game podcast.

“They’re probably the hungriest to learn, and they know they’ve got a long way to go but you know there’s a real hunger there to bridge that gap (to the higher ranked countries.”

Cheng is an admirer of the veteran coach.

“Coach Alen, with his very good record as a coach, provides the knowledge and experience in top level international competitions that we need to help us in our preparations and strategy in our matches against the top countries in women’s football.”

Today, history beckons for the 64th ranked Philippine women.

However, if the Filipina booters want to accomplish something that they have never done before, they must do something they have never done before too – which is to beat Southeast Asian nemesis Thailand.

Ranked 38th in the world, the Thais have been to the last World Cups and have never lost to the Philippines in their previous twelve meetings.

A meeting with football powerhouse Australia is next in Group B for the Philippines, before the final game against an Indonesian team that qualified for the Asian Cup for the first time in 33 years.

Having failed to make it out of the group stages in the 2018 Asian Cup, team captain Tahnai Annis is keen to make amends.

“We definitely came here to compete and win games. We wanna build up from our experience in the last Asian Cup,” she said.

With the support of an expectant nation, the time could be ripe for the Philippine women to lead the way to the promised land that is the World Cup.

The Philippines face Thailand on January 21 at 8 p.m Philippine time.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/football/818826/with-veteran-coach-ample-prep-ph-women-s-football-team-could-make-splash-in-afc-women-s-asian-cup/story/

AFF U23 Championship

 

Copa eyed for March

 

By 

Ian Suyu

The 2022 Copa Paulino Alcantara has a proposed March take-off date of March, the Philippine Football League (PFL) said yesterday.

PFL commissioner Coco Torre said the league is now in the process of finalizing the date and the teams that will compete.

Owing to the surge of Covid cases last year, the PFL decided to postpone its fifth season and instead held the much shorter Copa under a semi-bubble setup in Carmona, Cavite, last November.
The bootfest was won by Kaya FC, which went unbeaten during the entire time.

In the final, Kaya beat the Azkals Development Team, 1-0.

United City FC made a last-minute withdrawal from the tournament, leaving five teams slugging it out for top honors.

Others that participated included Stallion Laguna, Mendiola and Cebu FC.

https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2022/01/17/copa-eyed-for-march/?fbclid=IwAR0nk5jwwsl0un9RMmNIVIQXMLH7WfinKWa-QlXvSTWBqoXhVmvdM8G_l2M

AFC Women's Asian Cup - Squad and schedule

 

Philippines Squad Named For AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022

 The stage is set for the Philippine Women’s National Team as it seeks World Cup qualification in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022, which kicks off on 20 January 2022 in India.

The Philippines take on Thailand, Australia, and Indonesia in Group B with matches to be played in Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, and Pune.

The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third placed teams, will qualify to the knockout stages. The 12 teams will also contest for the five qualification spots for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023.

Day	Kick-off time	Manila time	Match	Venue
21-Jan-22	5:30 PM	8:00 PM	Thailand vs. Philippines	D.Y. Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai
24-Jan-22	3:30 PM	6:00 PM	Philippines vs. Australia	Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai
27-Jan-22	7:30 PM	10:00 PM	Philippines vs. Indonesia	Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex , Pune

Head coach Alen Stajcic, who was appointed last October 2021, has been in the thick of the team’s preparation for the Women’s Asian Cup with a training camp held from November 2021 to January 2022 in Irvine, California, USA.

“I’ve got a lot of hope and a lot of belief that we can actually achieve the goal,” said Stajcic. “The players are all aligned and driven to succeed as one and that’s what we have to do to give ourselves every possible chance of getting one of those spots for the World Cup.”

The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) called up twenty-three (23) players to form the final squad for the competition.

Team captain Tahnai Annis leads the team together with defender Hali Long. Forward Chandler McDaniel, who made an impact in the qualifiers, is also in the squad together with goalkeeper Inna Palacios, midfielders Jessica Miclat, Sara Castañeda, Camille Rodriguez, and defenders Tara Shelton and Sofia Harrison.

WE League players Sarina Bolden (Chifure AS Elfen) and Quinley Quezada (JEF United Chiba Ladies), as well as midfielder Eva Madarang make their return to the squad after last seeing action during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

Katrina Guillou, who plays for Swedish side Piteå IF, is among the newcomers to the squad along with Dominque Randle, Isabella Flanigan, Kiara Fontanilla, and former youth players Keanne Alamo and Carleigh Frilles.

Stajcic also has an experienced coaching staff working along him in assistant coach Nahuel Arrarte, goalkeeping coach Ludovic Antunes, fitness coach Luca Tonetti, and former national team captain and now assistant coach Patrice Impelido.

PFF Women’s Committee Co-Chairperson Jefferson Cheng is the Team Manager and has been actively supporting the team throughout the preparation. The team is also supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the MVP Sports Foundation.

Players:

Name	Position	Last Appearance
Inna Kristianne PALACIOS	Goalkeeper	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers
Kiara FONTANILLA	Goalkeeper	First tournament with WNT
Olivia Alexandra DAVIES MCDANIEL	Goalkeeper	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers
Dominque Jaylin RANDLE	Defender	First tournament with WNT
Tara-Allison SHELTON	Defender	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers
Hali Moriah LONG	Defender	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers
Kristen Ryley BUGAY	Defender	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers
Morgan BROWN	Defender	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2018
Isabella FLANIGAN	Defender	First tournament with WNT
Sofia Nicole HARRISON	Defender	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers
Katrina Jacqueline GUILLOU	Defender	First tournament with WNT
Malea Louise CESAR	Midfielder	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers
Tahnai Lauren ANNIS	Midfielder	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers
Kathleen Camille RODRIGUEZ	Midfielder	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers
Jessica Anne MICLAT	Midfielder	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers
Anicka Chabeli CASTAÑEDA	Midfielder	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers
Sara Isobel CASTAÑEDA	Midfielder	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers
Keanne Micah ALAMO	Midfielder	From Youth NT (2019 Girls U16)
Chandler Blue MCDANIEL	Forward	AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers
Carleigh FRILLES	Forward	From Youth NT (2016 Girls U14)
Sarina Isabel BOLDEN	Forward	30th Southeast Asian Games
Eva MADARANG	Forward	30th Southeast Asian Games
Quinley Mirielle QUEZADA	Forward	30th Southeast Asian Games https://pff.org.ph/2022/01/11/philippines-squad-named-for-afc-womens-asian-cup-2022/