‘PUSO’ SUSI SA MAKASAYSAYANG PANALO NG FILIPINAS VS FERNS SA WORLD CUP

WELLINGTON – Kapwa tinanong sina goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel at midfielder Tahnai Annis kung anong Filipino word ang pumasok sa kanilang isipan sa paglalarawan sa makasaysayang 1-0 pagsilat ng Filipinas sa Ferns sa FIFA Women’s World Cup sa harap ng hometown crowd sa Wellington Stadium dito noong Martes ng gabi.

“Puso,” sagot nina McDaniel at Annis sa hiwalay na panayam matapos ang kanilang panalo para manatiling buhay sa Group A at makabawi mula sa 0-1 pagkatalo sa Switzerland sa kanilang unang laro noong nakaraang linggo sa Dunedin.

“It was a huge privilege for me to finally get to play in the World Cup. A moment to remember and to be cherished. We fought hard with heart,” wika ni Annis.

Sinusugan ni Chandler, nakopo ang Player of the Match honors, ang damdamin ng kanyang teammate hinggil sa ‘collective big fighting heart‘ na kanilang ipinamalas hindi lamang laban sa kanilang katunggali kundi maging sa harap ng punum-punong arena ng 30,000 animated local fans na nag-cheer para manalo ang Ferns.

Ipinaliwanag ni Australian coach Alen Stajcic ang sinabi ng kanyang dalawang players.

“Of heart and spirit, this team has got it in spades. In all those factors, they are 10 of 10,” ani Stajcic, na tinangkang pigilan ang kanyang emosyon sa post-match conference, habang ninanamnam ang kanilang malaking tagumpay.

“They (the Filipinas) are one of the best teams in the world for unity, collective effort and playing above themselves as a unit. When you see that and you know what you have, that is what makes it really special,” anang two-time World Cup veteran mentor.

Binigyang-diin niya ang kahalagahan ng panalo sa ikalawang laro pa lamang ng koponan sa World Cup, kumpara sa kinailangang pagdaanan ng ibang mga bansa para makamit ang panalo.

“For New Zealand I think it was their 15th or 16th match or five or six World Cups,” pag-alala niya sa record of futility ng hosts hanggang sa maitala nito ang breakthrough 1-0 triumph kontra Norway sa Eden Park sa Auckland noong nakaraang linggo.

“While watching Colombia and (South) Korea before our game, the commentator said they have one win each. Korea has been at least in five or six world cups and Colombia three or four,” paliwanag niya.

“To think that we have done it in our second match in our first World Cup. You can’t really appreciate how far we’ve come back in the pack compared to where those countries where in terms of their football history, their culture and investment,” dagdag ng Australian tactician.