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/