An acid test so close to the big show.
The Philippine women’s national football team (PWNFT) will face the best of the best in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which is set to unfurl a month from now.
And, just three days prior to the start of this prestigious competition, the Filipinas will get a shot at one of the world’s very best: The Blue and Yellow of Sweden.
The national team, according to a press release from the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), will take on the Swedes in an unofficial closed training match on July 17 in Wellington, New Zealand. This friendly match will figure to be the Filipinas’ toughest test to date as Sweden is currently no. 3 in the FIFA Women’s world rankings. The PWNFT, in contrast, is no. 46 at the moment after climbing three spots just recently.
“We thank our friends from the Swedish Football Association for working with us in making this match happen,” said Atty. Edwin Gastanes, general secretary of the PFF. “It’s a great opportunity for our Filipinas to test themselves against a world-class team before the FIFA Women’s World Cup.”
The Blågult are truly world class, having been part of the FIFA Women’s World Cup eight different times. They finished second in 2003, losing only to Germany in a nail-biting final, 2-1. The Swedes also copped third place in three different occasions— 1991, 2011, and 2019.
But don’t expect the Filipinas to cower. This history-making team is for real, and it will leave no stone unturned in trying to make even more history.
(GM)