CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Philippine Women’s National Football Team (PWNFT) Filipinas will test their mettle against three European teams in the upcoming Pinatar Cup 2023 slated February 15 to 21, 2023, at the Pinatar Arena in San Pedro del Pintanar, Murcia, Spain.
The tournament will serve as their tune-up tournament before the much-awaited FIFA Women’s World Cup slated from July to August that will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
The Filipinas will vie in Group A along with New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Meanwhile, they will go up against Wales, Scotland, and Iceland in the upcoming Pintanar Cup hosted by Spain.
Their opening match will be against Wales on February 15 (February 16 Manila Time) at the Pinatar Arena.
Their second match is against Scotland on February 18 (February 19, Manila Time), and Iceland on February 21 (Feb. 22, Manila Time), all at the same venue.
The team is comprised of mostly the same players that manned the PWNFT’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup roster that towed the Philippines into its first semifinals stint and ultimately clinching a slot in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The team will be composed of Olivia McDaniel, Kiara Fontanilla, Inna Palacios, Maya Alcantara, Alicia Barker, Reina Bonta Jessika Cowart, Malea Cesar, Sofia Harrison, Hali Long, Eva Madarang, Dominique Randle, Tahnai Annis, Anicka Castaneda, Sara Eggesvik, Carleigh Frilles, Reinna Gabriel, Kaya Hawkinson, Camille Rodriguez, Jaclyn Sawicki, Meryll Serrano, Sarina Bolden, Isabella Flanigan, Katrina Guillo, and Quinley Quezada.
Besides the Pintanar Cup, the Filipinas will vie in the first round of the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024 Asian Qualification from April 3 to 11, 2023.
They are grouped with Pakistan, Hong Kong, and Tajikistan in Group E.
It can be recalled that Filipinas’ head coach Alen Stajcic and team manager Jeff Ching visited Cebu last month at the Dynamic Herb-Borromeo Sports Complex in the South Road Properties (SRP).
They observed personally the Philippine Football Federation’s (PFF) national-level tryouts for the women’s under-20 and under-17 girls’ teams which will likely follow the footsteps of the current national team.
/bmjo
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