The national women’s football team starts its quest to qualify for the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup against Nepal Saturday, Sept. 18 at the Jar Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Coach Marlon Maro’s side has high hopes of claiming the maximum three points against its Nepali counterpart in their Group F match set at 2 p.m. local time (6 p.m. Philippine time).
It will be the Philippines’ first women’s match since the 2019 Southeast Asian Games and the female booters are expected to come in with eagerness to produce a victory.
Maro has formed a 22-woman squad composed of veterans from previous competitions along with new additions and a few players from the youth ranks.
Goalkeeper and co-captain Inna Palacios said the team will bring out tactics that are different from previous squads.
“It’s a dynamic kind of football,” Palacios said. “We are learning to hold the ball and at the same time, make plays for everyone. We are evolving into what football is right now. It’s a much faster game, more intelligent game.
“And with the tactics that we have, we are confident that we will follow the game plan,” she added.
The Philippines needs to top the group in order to qualify for next year’s Asian Cup in India. The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The other Group F match of the Philippines is on Sept. 24 against Hong Kong.