AFC WOMEN’S ASIAN CUP:  PH, AUSTRALIA SA GROUP B

MAKAKAGRUPO ng Philippine women’s national football team ang dalawang Southeast Asian rivals at isang global powerhouse sa group stage ng 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup sa India.

Sa draw ceremony na idinaos nitong Huwebes sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, ang mga Pinay ay napunta sa Group B, kasama ang Indonesia at Thailand, gayundin ang Australia, na ranked 11th sa mundo.

Ang host India ay nasa Group A, kasama ang China, Chinese-Taipei, at  Iran. Nasa Group C naman ang defending champion Japan, kasama ang South Korea, Vietnam, at  Myanmar.

Ito na ang ikalawang sunod na pagsabak ng Pilipinas sa AFC Women’s Asian Cup, makaraang pangunahan ang Group F ng qualifiers noong September kasunod ng panalo kontra Nepal at  Hong Kong.

Ang koponan ay gagabayan sa Asian Cup ni Alen Stajcic, ang dating coach ng Australian women’s national football team. Iginiya ni Stajcic ang mga Pinay sa 2015 at  2019 FIFA Women’s World Cups, gayundin sa 2016 Rio Olympics.

“I knew that Australia would somehow fall in my group, in our group,” wika ni Stajcic. “It’s an interesting tournament. It’s the first time it’s gone to 12 teams. It’s gonna present different challenges for different teams, and an extra match as well.”

“The good part for now is, we now know who we play, and we can really focus on targeting that first match, and making sure we’re ready to go when we get to India,” dagdag pa niya.

Magsasagawa ang koponan ng training camp at player tryouts sa Irvine, California sa November 10-January 15.