Youth-laden Filipinas football team faces lowly Timor Leste squad at Asean Football Federation

Match on Thursday
(Viet Tri Stadium, Vietnam)
7:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m. Manila time) – Philippines vs Timor Leste

COACH Mark Torcaso expressed confidence the youth-laden Filipinas will step up to the plate as they defend the country’s Asean Football Federation crown beginning on Thursday at the Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho, Vietnam.

First up for the 23-member squad composed mostly of age group standouts with a handful of FIFA Women’s World Cup veterans is lightweight Timor Leste at 7:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m.) Manila time.

“We want to win, we want to defend the title and we know how important it is to the country,” Mr. Torcaso said.

“But we also want to make sure that we give our young girls the best opportunity to be ready for the (future high-level competitions like the) Asian Cup and the SEA Games,” he added.

With the Aug. 7 to 19 tournament also known as the MSIG Serenity Cup being held outside the FIFA windows, only Manila-based stalwarts Olivia and Chandler McDaniel, Hali Long, Inna Palacios and Quinley Quezada among the winning crew of 2022 made it to this trip.

“They (veterans) are going to be really, really important for our group, to share their experiences in winning the AFF tournament and in being at the World Cup and Asian Cups,” said Mr. Torcaso.

“They’re going to share that to our young players and there’s no doubt they’ll have open arms in talking to the young girls and I’m sure our young girls will be accepting of the information they take.”

The other Group B opening match features the Australian Under-23 squad against Myanmar at 4:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. Manila time).

The goal is to finish Top 2 of the group to advance to the semifinals. — Olmin Leyba