Gold-winning Filipinas need higher gear, says coach
The Philippine women’s football team acknowledges that it will need to play a notch higher than it did during the Southeast Asian Games in order to achieve the goal of a second straight qualification to the Fifa Women’s World Cup.
“The players understand that we’re obviously going to a competition that is much tougher than the SEA Games,” Torcaso said after the Filipinas announced the 32 players who will take part in a month-long training camp before the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia.
“Now it’s about lifting our intensity, our quality, our fitness levels, our speed to be on another level higher than that and obviously to achieve the opportunity to go to another World Cup,” added Torcaso ahead of next month’s continental competition in his home country.
The Filipinas have started camp over the weekend at the SM Mall of Asia Sky and Rizal Memorial Stadium and will fly to the secluded island of Balesin, which has its own pitch.
The camp will wrap up later this month in Perth. The Asian Cup kicks off on March 1, with the Filipinas facing tall odds in their quest to claim one of the six World Cup slots.
They are in Group A with host Australia, South Korea and Iran, needing a top two finish or as the best third placers from the three groups to reach the knockout phase.
Australia is the first foe on March 1 in Perth, South Korea is next on March 5 on the Gold Coast and Iran on March 8, also on the Gold Coast.
The core of the SEA Games squad that beat Vietnam for the gold on penalties in Thailand headlines the call-ups.
Goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel, whose save in the shootout sealed the victory over Vietnam in the final, team captain Hali Long, Angela Beard, Sara Eggesvik, Bella Pasion, Jael-Marie Guy, Mallie Ramirez, Malea Cesar and Alexa Pino will be vital in the Filipinas’ quest.
Ramirez scored two goals in the SEA Games, including the stoppage-time winner over Vietnam in the group stage that prevented the Filipinas from being virtually eliminated.
Chandler McDaniel, who was on the SEA Games roster, was called up, while Sarina Bolden, who has been dealing with an injury, is not part of the training squad.
