Preparing for busy schedule, Filipinas conclude camp

Philippine women’s football team known as Filipinas ahead of its friendly game against South Korea. –FILIPINAS PHOTO

There’s nothing out of the ordinary as far as what coach Mark Torcaso and the Philippine women’s football team felt after concluding a week-long training camp that served as their first activity under new management.

“We continue on as normal,” Torcaso said on Friday before reporters at Rizal Memorial Stadium where the Filipinas spent the duration of the camp aimed at expanding their pool ahead of future fixtures leading up to a busy 2025.

The Filipinas are now under the management of Philippine Football Federation (PFF) director of national teams Freddy Gonzalez, who is handling the team on an interim basis after businessman Jefferson Cheng stepped aside as manager in June over differences in priorities with the PFF.

Playing in October

Gonzalez said the Filipinas will be back in action this October, when they fly to Turkiye to compete in a mini-tournament against Jordan, Haiti and possibly African country Mali.

“That’s gonna be a good tournament for the Filipinas,” said Gonzalez, who expects to have the likes of Sarina Bolden and other key names to don the Philippine shirt for that tourney.

Bolden, goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel and midfielder Sara Eggesvik, to name a few, were not part of the Manila camp.

Hali Long, Quinley Quezada, Jaclyn Sawicki, Dominique Randle and Jessika Cowart were among the core of the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup team that took part in the camp along with veteran Filipinas players and those from the youth side.

“I feel like it’s a good step, it’s a good direction we’re heading into a busy end of the year and a very busy next year,” said Long.

The Philippines is also set to play friendlies at home in November and December before focusing on the Asean Football Federation Women’s Championship the Filipinas will defend in 2025 and the Thailand Southeast Asian Games.

Both tournaments will then serve as a buildup for the 2026 Asian Cup, the qualifier for the 2027 World Cup where six Asian slots are at stake.