The Filipinas are quick to move on after their title defense in the MSIG Serenity Cup took a setback with the loss to Australia U23.
The Philippine women’s national football team refuse to let their loss to Australia U23 hang over their heads as the Filipinas focus on the positives of their Group B match at the MSIG Serenity Cup in Viet Tri, Phu Tho last Sunday.
Despite getting set back in their title defense, the Filipinas still hold their fate as a win by two goals against Myanmar would send them to the knockout rounds.
After the match against Australia, head coach Mark Torcaso spoke highly about how his players — especially the younger ones — were able to hold their own against their Aussie counterparts, who flaunt tremendous experience even as a U23 team.
[READ: Filipinas absorb setback in MSIG Serenity Cup title defense after narrow loss to Australia U23]
“No coach is ever happy if you lose a game. So, obviously, I’m not happy that we lost but I’m extremely proud of our players. We’ve got a very very young group of players. We had a 16-year-old make her debut for her country today,” Torcaso said, speaking of starter Tea Pidding.
“We had a couple of 16, 17-year-olds that came on against a U23 Australia team and we’re extremely proud of the way that they fought until the end and I thought that we should’ve actually clinched a draw… But I’m very very proud of everyone of these players and I think we can take a very positive step into the next game against Myanmar.”
Opting to go for the defensive against the fired up Australians in the first half, the Filipinas struggled to find their mark as they played the long game, trying to create chances off of booming goal kicks from Olivia McDaniel.
But after Alana Jancevski fired a low and hard kick that curled behind McDaniel in added time in the first half, the Filipinas were forced shift gears.
Even as they lost, Torcaso’s side was able to make some significant strides in the second half — which included some real chances on goal and testing Chloe Lincoln. They also stepped up on the defensive end, led by skipper Hali Long and the tremendous goalkeeping of McDaniel.
With all that in mind, Torcaso only has good things to say of his players and they hope to bring a better fight against rivals Myanmar.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a bad result. I would say that it’s something that we want to work on and obviously get better in the next game to get the win. Obviously, as defending champions, there’s pressure, but I believe that our players took on some good pressure today and that’s gonna help them grow,” he said.
“And I know and truly believe that we can go into the next game with a very very positive step that we can get a win that can get us out of the group and help us qualify for the semifinals. But I’ll say it again, I’m very very proud of every one of our players,” Torcaso added.
The Filipinas battle Myanmar in the penultimate match of the group phase at Lach Tray Stadium in Haiphong, where a win by two goals propels them to the next round regardless of the result of the other match between Australia and Timor Leste.