FILE–Filipinas at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.–PFF PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine women’s football team called up four U-17 players and two first-timers for its pair of friendly matches against South Korea next week in Icheon.
Nina Mathelus, Aiselyn Sia, Alexa Pino and Gabrielle Baker, in contention to be included in the Philippine squad for the Asian Football Confederation U-17 Asian Cup, were among the 29 players called up by coach Mark Torcaso for the games slated April 5 and 8.
Alessandrea Carpio and Chayse Ying, both based in the United States, are also set to don the Philippine shirt for the first time against the team the Filipinas had faced twice in the 2022 Asian Cup and last year’s Asian Games.
READ: PH football team’s Malditas moniker ‘doesn’t represent Filipinas’-coach
Torcaso also added Cathrine Graversen and Charisa Lemoran, who all have previous international caps, to beef up the squad bannered by the veterans of last year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup.
Sarina Bolden, Hali Long, Olivia McDaniel, Quinley Quezada, Katrina Guillou, Sara Eggesvik, Tahnai Annis, Angela Beard, Jessika Cowart and Sofia Harrison will also take the trip to Icheon for the first matches of the Filipinas since February’s Pinatar Cup in Spain.
Nina Meollo, Inna Palacios, Maya Alcantara, Reina Bonta, Rhea Chan, Natalie Oca, Camille Sahirul, Isabella Bandoja, Carleigh Frilles and Chandler McDaniel complete the Filipinas squad.
The two matches will help benefit the U-17 players more, with the country’s maiden participation in one of the AFC’s age-group competitions slated next month in Indonesia.
The Filipinas U-17s are in Group A with South Korea, North Korea and the host country.