FILE–FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 – Philippines training – Caledonian Ground, Dunedin, New Zealand – July 20, 2023 Philippines players during training REUTERS/Molly Darlington
AUCKLAND, New Zealand—The Filipinas held a closed-door training session Thursday to begin preparations for the big Group A match against Norway in the Fifa Women’s World Cup this weekend here.
Coach Alen Stajcic and his players spent the day at Olympic Park a day after the Filipinas returned from their historic 1-0 win over co-host New Zealand in Wellington.
The Philippine side holds its base camp in this city even before the Fifa Women’s World Cup began.
Post-training sessions with the media were initially scheduled, but the team decided to reschedule it for Friday morning.
No official word on how the training session went.
Another victory in the match set Eden Park will send the Filipinas to an improbable round-of-16 berth.
Tuesday’s win over New Zealand has raised hopes that the Philippines could add another historic-making feat to its resume.
Stajcic had stressed the importance of focusing on the important task amid the euphoria of the massive win over New Zealand, with a tough Norwegian side up next.
But attention has been on Norway’s internal issues that have resulted in just one point in two matches to sit at the bottom of the group.
