The Philippines will finally get to show its game for the first time on the world stage when the Filipinas enter the pitch at the Forsyth Barr Stadium against Switzerland this Friday.
Win or lose, it will be a historic moment for the Philippine women’s national football team, which surged to the country’s first-ever participation in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“I’m really proud of everyone for their collective effort,” Filipinas coach Alen Stajcic said in a report by ABS-CBN News. “Now, it’s time to go to the biggest women’s sporting event in the world and try to do the best that we can.”
“It really is a magical moment for the country, and we hope that everyone is proud of the fight that we’re going to show in those games.”
It was a long and winding road for the Pinays, who reached the semifinals of the AFF Women’s Asian Cup in February 2022 by beating Chinese Taipei in a penalty shootout. It served as their ride to the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.
Although they lost to South Korea in the semis of the Women’s Asian Cup, the Philippines scored a breakthrough bronze in the Southeast Asian Games. The Filipinas went on to take the AFF Women’s Championship before figuring in overseas games against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, and New Zealand.
Skipper Tahnai Annis admitted they will come in as massive underdogs in the World Cup.
“Well, we are definitely a rookie team in terms of playing in our first World Cup,” skipper Tahnai Annis told FIFA. “But this group has been around for a good amount of time. We have a core group of veterans who have been leading the way.”
Co-captain Hali Long, the team’s most-capped member with 74 appearances, sticks to their mantra of “winning the moment.” This mentality will be crucial once they step on the pitch against Switzerland.
“It’s all about the little details now,” she said. “We have done all of our fine-tuning, but it’s finally time to prove and show what we are made of.”
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