Women’s national football team returns home after fairy tale journey in AFC in India
The Philippine Women’s National Football Team (PWNFT) during their heroes welcome in Manila. | Photo from PFF Website
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Women’s National Football Team (PWNFT) returned to the country after their fairy tale journey in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Asian Cup in India over the weekend.
The PWNFT, who made a historic feat by qualifying for the first time in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 arrived in two batches in Manila from Mumbai on Friday and Saturday.
Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, the team had a simple heroes welcome ceremony instead of the huge parade they deserved for bringing the Philippines to the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in history.
The first batch that arrived on Friday were team captain Tahnai Annis, vice-captain Hali Long, goalkeepers Olivia McDaniel and Kiara Fontanilla, defenders Malea Cesar, Eva Madarang, and Tara Shelton, midfielders Katrina Guillou and Carleigh Frilles, and forward Chandler McDaniel according to the Philippine Football Federation (PFF).
They were followed by Goalkeeper Inna Palacios, and midfielders Camille Rodriguez, Anicka, and Sara Castañeda, together with the members of the coaching staff, arrived Saturday afternoon and were given the same heroes welcome at the airport.
In an earlier interview, head coach Alen Stajcic said that it was his best coaching experience in his entire career.
“I think this is probably the best experience in my coaching career. I’ve been coaching for 20 years. To take this group who are so dedicated, so determined, so much disciplined, so much heart, so much spirit, considering they had to overcome to reach this point,” said Stajcic in his statement released from PWNFT’s Twitter page.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had to coach a group who had so many hurdles to overcome just in the preparation let alone in the tournament. And to get to this level and to fight and compete up until the last kick of a semifinal is truly just such a remarkable effort,” Stajcic said.
The team finished their campaign with three victories that led them to the semifinals of the major football tournament. They qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup next year to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand by defeating Chinese Taipei via penalty shooutout,1-1 (4-3).
They bowed out of the competition after losing to football powerhouse Korea Republic, 0-2. Nonetheless, the Filipinas made their presence felt early in the tournament by beating their tormentor, Thailand,1-0, ending their 12-match losing skid against the latter.
They lost their second match against Australia, 0-4, but went on bouncing back strong by routing Indonesia, 6-0, to grab the second place in the group stage.
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