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Philippines
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Filipinas competing in Europe for 1st time

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A lot is expected of the fired-up Philippine national women’s football team as it left for Spain on Thursday to take part in a competition in Europe for the first time.

Team captain Inna Palacios, who just turned 29 on Tuesday, said she will be at her best when the Filipinas get sharp and and ready for the Pinatar Cup 2023 from February 15 to 21 in San Pedro del Pinatar in Murcia, Spain.

“I expect myself to be at my best all the time. It’s a team effort,” said Palacios during a huddle with scribes at the New World Hotel in Makati City.

Their buildup since last year is expected to make the Filipinas a stronger team, but one team member wants to temper all the hype.

“We have big shoes to fill, and with big expectations from outside our circle, we have to be realistic with our own expectations,” said team co-skipper Halli Long.

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The Filipinas are making a bid to sustain their buildup for the FIFA Women’s World Cup as they will be facing higher-ranked European sides like Wales, Scotland and Iceland in their coming encounters in the Pinatar Cup.

The Filipinas’ first match will be against 32nd-ranked Wales on February 15. Their next opponent will be 25th-ranked Scotland on February 18, before they wrap up their campaign against no. 16 Iceland on February 21.

Members of the Malditas discussed their coming competition during a meeting with executives of adidas, which signed the team to a four-year partnership, through the Philippine Football Federation.

In attendance at the signing were PFF General Secretary Edwin Gastanes; team members Palacios and Long; and adidas Philippines General Manager Anthony Frangos.

Throughout 2023, the team, also known as the Filipinas, will be supported by adidas in their various endeavors, such as the 32nd Southeast Asian Games and their historic participation at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The PFF has also commissioned adidas to help design and provide uniform kits to its national age-group women’s team in the under-20 and the under-17 level as well.

“We have signed a deal with adidas to provide uniforms, not only for the women’s team, but for the age-group women’s teams as well. It will be four years, and hopefully, it could go longer,” said Gastanes.

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