Philippines’ head coach Alen Stajcic talks with Philippines’ Katrina Guillou during the Women’s World Cup Group A soccer match between the Philippines and Switzerland in Dunedin, New Zealand, Friday, July 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Coach Alen Stajcic lamented the ill-timed moment where the Philippines conceded a penalty through VAR that broke the ice in the eventual 2-0 loss to Switzerland at the start of the country’s maiden Fifa Women’s World Cup campaign in New Zealand.
Defender Jessika Cowart was called for a foul after a video review where she was sliding for possession of the ball along with Switzerland’s Coumba Sow inside the box, leading to Ramona Bachmann’s opener in the 44th minute.
“It’s just an incident that happens in the box, wasn’t it?” Stajcic said after the match held at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. “Both went in and, from what I saw, the ball was just there, it’s a contested ball and the Swiss girl (Sow) slid in with her studs up.
“I just don’t know if it just got her or not. [But] it just happens in the penalty box and it just happens in a critical moment of the game. It went Switzerland’s way,” the coach added.
Philippines’ Jessika Cowart, left, and Switzerland’s Sandrine Mauron compete for the ball during the Women’s World Cup Group A soccer match between the Philippines and Switzerland in Dunedin, New Zealand, Friday, July 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
A second goal in the 64th minute courtesy of Seraina Piubel gave Switzerland the cushion it needed to get the full three points in Group A.
Stajcic did say that Switzerland was already showing its perceived might prior to the game-changing situation and he seemed to suggest that it would be a matter of time before the Filipinas will see the opposition score.
“I thought they were the dominant team in that 10-minute period [prior to the penalty], and when you dominate, you make your own luck. And they made their own luck.”