Intersquad match unveils new Filipinas
Philippine women’s football team coach Mark Torcaso used the final day of training camp held atop SM Mall of Asia by holding an intersquad match pitting the core of the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup squad against a group of newcomers he hopes would be a big part in future competitions.
The exhibition that capped off the unveiling of the huge mall’s MOA Sky ended in a 1-1 draw and saw some of the team’s new names providing a glimpse of what they can bring going into a busy year for the Filipinas.
“We want to have a big pool of good, strong players so we can be competitive in the future,” Torcaso said on Tuesday night.
The Filipinas ended a camp that was indirectly involved in a controversy that saw reporter Venice Furio being told that her access to the team was revoked by the Philippine Football Federation.
Alex Carpio was the goal scorer for the Blue Squad while fans who came to the event saw for the first time in the flesh striker Emma Tovar, who plays club football for Spanish side Valencia.
Flashes of brilliance
Goalkeeper Nina Meollo, a player for English side Ipswich Town, also provided some flashes of brilliance with some solid saves during the match that aimed to have a semblance of competitiveness with the Filipinas opting for a camp instead of an international friendly during the window.
“There’s discussion as to why we’re not playing against another country,” Torcaso said. “I think that was good, I believe, in regards to competition, playing against our own players. But I don’t separate experience [from] non-experience, We’re all one and we work together for a common goal and that is to play in another World Cup.”
The Filipinas are scheduled to play in a friendly tournament in April against host China, Zambia and Thailand before competing in the AFF Women’s Championship, Asian Cup Qualifiers and the Thailand Southeast Asian Games.
Autumn Cayelli, Malia Cerdon, Kaela Hansen, Nya Harrison, Ivymae Perez, Mallie Ramirez, Jamie Turrentine, Maysen Veronda and Skye Leach were the other fresh faces who joined the week-long camp.
