Vietnam are favorites, but Filipinas eye glory in 2023 SEA Games

After a 37-year-long wait, the Philippines finally bagged a medal in women’s football in the previous edition of the Southeast Asian Games held last year in Vietnam.

This time around, the Filipinas will look to improve on last year’s bronze medal finish, as they plunge into action in Group A of the tournament, which is being held in Phnom Penh in Cambodia.

Grouped together with traditional Southeast Asian contenders Vietnam and Myanmar means that getting out of the group is by no means a formality, with both teams aiming to avenge their defeat to the Filipinas in recent times.

Vietnam, in particular, would have penciled in the match versus the Philippines with anticipation, with thoughts of avenging the 0-4 defeat they suffered against the Filipinas in the semi-finals of the 2022 AFF Women’s Championships.

Myanmar would also similarly relish a chance to avenge their defeat at the hands of the Filipinas in the bronze medal match last time, with the Filipinas coming from behind to snatch the medal with two goals in the game’s last 16 minutes.

In the pre-tournament press conference, Coach Alen Stajcic has named Vietnam as favorites to win it all.

“Vietnam are the favorites to win this tournament,” said Stajcic. “We’re just growing at the moment and we know we have a long way to go to catch up.”

“Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar have been strong for a long time. We respect that they have better history.”

Rounding off the group is Malaysia, and while the Philippines would be favorites to win that game, Steffi Sidhu and the Malaysians will not be there just to make up the numbers.

With the Philippines facing Myanmar in the first game and Vietnam last, there is a case to be made for Stajcic to once again rotate his squad accordingly, and he will have many options at his disposal to do so.

Rewarded for their efforts in the recent U20s tournament, Sabine Ramos and Natalie Oca have made the jump to the senior team and they will be joined by 16-year-old Isabella Pasion, who made her debut in the recently concluded Olympic Games qualifiers.

Team manager Jefferson Cheng is excited about the prospect of giving chances to the youngsters.

“Aside from giving opportunities to our younger players it is also part of building more depth in the pool/squad where injuries and player availability among others are a factor in determining your final squad selection,” said Cheng.

Katrina Guillou, Jessika Cowart, Tahnai Annis, and Meryll Serrano are the notable absentees from the squad, but such is the depth in the squad that there is hardly an uproar from fans and pundits alike.

Hali Long and Reina Bonta will be expected to shore up the heart of the Filipinas’ defence, with Sofia Harrison, Alicia Barker, Malea Cesar, and Maya Alcantara expected to compete for spots in the backline.

Sara Eggesvik and Jackie Sawicki will lend their experience in the Filipinas’ midfield, but all eyes will be on record goal scorer Quinley Quezada and Sarina Bolden to lead the attack.

Chandler McDaniel, who missed last year’s tournament due to an ACL injury, will be expected to make up for lost time and make a strong case for inclusion to Stajcic’s final World Cup squad.

With the FIFA Women’s World Cup just two months away, this is one of the final chances for Stajcic to work with his players, toy with combinations and select his preferred starting eleven – and his 23-woman squad – for the biggest tournament in Philippine football history.

While the Filipinas would perhaps not go into the SEA Games as the prohibitive favorite, it would not be inaccurate to say that the World Cup-bound Philippines are among the teams that one might expect to win the gold medal.

Cheng promises that the Filipinas will give a gallant fight.

“The objective of the preparation and training has always been to get the top prize in any competition,” he says.

“Higher-ranked teams I believe will still be the favorites considering historically they had more success but we will be there to battle it out for the gold.”

The Philippines open their SEA Games campaign against Myanmar on May 3 at 9 p.m. (Manila time), followed by the game against Malaysia on May 6. The Filipinas wrap up the group stages with a date against defending champions Vietnam on May 9.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News