MEMBERS of the Philippine national women’s football team are ready to play in a more competitive atmosphere.
Filipinas’ coach Mark Torcaso said this before they took on a visiting Chinese Taipei squad on Tuesday evening and lost, 0-1, the friendly encounter.
“Every match day is training and our preparation for the Asian Cup qualifiers. The girls are ready,” said Torcaso.
The friendly was an opportunity for the coaching staff to see how the new members of the team have blended with the veterans.
The Filipinas felt the absence of key forwards Sarina Bolden, Katrina Guillou, Quinley Quezada, and Bella Flanigan.
“(But) The new are doing really well (in training),” added Torcaso.
The Filipinas, who struggled to find their momentum during the game, leave for Phnom Penh in a bid to clinch the lone spot for the 2026 Asian Football Confederation Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers.
The squad saw action before a home crowd of 3,312 fans, their first time since their victorious 2022 ASEAN Football Federation Women’s Championship campaign.
The Taiwanese side’s lone goal came in the 27th minute, when Chinese Taipei forward Saki Matsunaga got past Sara Eggesvik.
As Eggesvik committed an error in clearing the ball, Matsunaga took possession and sent the ball sailing past Olivia McDaniel and into the back of the net.
Chinese Taipei tried to double its lead early in the second half, when Yu-Chin Chen ran past McDaniel, but she failed to convert.
With rain pouring down in the closing minutes, the Filipinas made an effort to go for a draw, but could not find an opening.
The Filipinas will first face Saudi Arabia on June 29, then Cambodia on July 2, and Hong Kong on July 5, in games that will be played at the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh.
