THE Philippine women’s national football team will rely on their fitness and endurance as they prepare to battle Asia’s best in the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Head coach Mark Torcaso expressed confidence in his squad’s physical condition just before the Filipinas departed for Australia, where they are set to open their campaign on Sunday.
“They are fit and fast. They have trained very well,” said Torcaso, as the Filipinas settled in Perth after arriving Monday night.
The team heads into the continental tournament riding strong momentum following a dominant qualifying campaign in Phnom Penh. The Filipinas swept all three of their Group G matches, defeating Saudi Arabia, Cambodia, and Hong Kong without conceding a single goal while scoring freely.
That impressive run followed their breakthrough triumph at the Southeast Asian Games, where they captured the gold medal with a memorable victory over Vietnam.
“We focused really hard on making that happen, and we did it — nine points, lots of goals scored, and none conceded,” Torcaso said. “That was our goal in Cambodia, and we achieved it.”
Veteran goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel will once again anchor the squad, bringing valuable experience after playing a crucial role in the Filipinas’ historic semifinal run in the previous Asian Cup. That achievement secured the Philippines’ first-ever berth in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Awaiting the Filipinas in their opening match is host nation Australia women’s national soccer team, bolstered by the return of star striker Sam Kerr. The Matildas captain, the country’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 131 appearances, recently returned from an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in January 2024.
Australia will also be guided by new head coach Joe Montemurro and strengthened by the return of talented forward Mary Fowler, who is back after an extended injury layoff.
