Coach Mark Torcaso says the Philippine women's national football team is fully prepared and “determined to become the best team” as they begin their SEA Games campaign against Myanmar.
The Philippine women’s Under-22 football team begins its campaign in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games with a key opening match against Myanmar on Friday, 5 p.m. (Manila time) at the National Sports University in Chonburi, Thailand.
Grouped with regional mainstays Vietnam, Malaysia, and Myanmar, the Filipinas face a challenging path. But head coach Mark Torcaso says the team is prepared, motivated, and fully committed to contending for a medal.
In his pre-match remarks, Torcaso emphasized both appreciation for the hosts and confidence in the squad’s preparation.
“Thank you obviously for hosting this great opportunity for the players to compete in an international tournament against some very good competition both in this group and in the other group. Thailand has been fantastic, Chonburi has been fantastic in hosting us so far, so we appreciate that,” he said.
Torcaso noted that the Filipinas enter the tournament after months of focused training.
“Our team has been working hard for the last couple of months for this tournament. We're well prepared, we know we're in a very strong group. We've got some very strong teams here, and we respect every opponent,” he added.
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But while the field is competitive, the Filipinas’ mindset is clear.
“But we've got a job here to do, and that is to become the best team here. And we are very determined to do that.”
The Filipinas will look to avenge their 2023 SEA Games heartbreak after failing to make the semifinals.
The squad is led by national team mainstays such as Hali Long, Olivia McDaniel, Sara Eggesvik, Angela Beard, Meryll Serrano, and Jaclyn Sawicki.
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The SEA Games also serves as a key tune-up for the Filipinas as they prepare for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers in March, which lead to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The match will be shown on One Sports YouTube and Pilipinas Live.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.