The national women’s football team is now in Tashkent, Uzbekistan ahead of its campaign in the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers which starts Saturday, Sept. 18 against Nepal.
Coach Marlon Maro’s squad arrived in the Uzbek capital Tuesday, Sept. 14 after spending more than a month holding a training camp in Irvine, California.
Maro and the team were also scheduled to hold their first practice in Tashkent after their COVID-19 test yielded negative results.
Saturday’s opener will mark the first match of the Pinay booters since placing fourth in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
Also slated is a game against Hong Kong on Sept. 24. The Philippines needs to top Group F of the qualifiers in order to earn a spot in next year’s Asian Cup in India.
The Asian Cup will also serve as a qualifier for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup that will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Several members of the last SEAG squad along with some players who suited up in the 2018 Asian Cup, former youth players and new additions comprise the 22-player list.
Maro was also brought back by the Philippine Football Federation to call the shots for the women’s squad in the competition.