All news tagged PhilippineFootbalFederation

The Philippine women’s futsal team wrapped up its historic run at the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup with a hard-fought 5–1 match against quarterfinal-bound Argentina on Thursday night at the PhilSports Arena.

Argentina came out strong with five quick goals in the opening seven minutes, but the Filipina5 showed tremendous heart—tightening their defense and refusing to concede again for the rest of the match.

Isabella Bandoja delivered the highlight of the night for the home crowd, scoring on a counterattack to avoid a shutout and electrify the 2,811 fans in attendance.

Despite finishing the tournament with three losses, Coach Rafa Merino’s squad earned praise for their grit, improvement, and refusal to back down on the world stage.

“It’s the World Cup, they're playing in their home country so that’s more than enough motivation for the players,” Philippine coach Rafa Merino said in Spanish.

Kayla Santiago, who came in as goalkeeper after the early setback, also stepped up with several crucial saves that helped stabilize the defense.

Argentina topped Group A with a perfect 9 points, while the Filipina5 capped their maiden World Cup appearance with pride and valuable experience to build on for the future.

World No. 6 Argentina clinched the first seat in Group A with six points after wins over Morocco (6-0) and Poland (3-2) ahead of its final group assignment against the home side.

The 63rd-ranked Filipina5 are heavy underdogs, but that won’t stop them from fighting tooth and nail and aiming to upset the South American powers in front of their home crowd.

With nothing to lose and everything to gain, the Filipina5 look to end their historic FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup debut with pride, heart, and the relentless drive that has defined their journey so far.

“We have to try to give the best of ourselves, keep with our identity, keep with who we are,” said Merino. “There's nothing extraordinary that we can do but we play the best way we can.”

Host Philippines looks to close its FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup campaign on a strong note as it faces powerhouse Argentina tonight at the PhilSports Arena.

Already out of quarterfinal contention after losses to Poland (0–6) and Morocco (2–3), the determined Filipina5 aim to deliver a spirited performance in their final Group A assignment against the unbeaten South Americans.

“It’s the World Cup. They’re playing in their home country, so that’s more than enough motivation for the players,” said Philippine coach Rafa Merino.

The Philippines nearly pulled off a breakthrough win on Monday when Inday Tolentin and Cathrine Graversen scored early against Morocco. But the African champions rallied with three unanswered goals to steal the match and force a tie with Poland at three points apiece—setting up a do-or-die clash between the two for the group’s last knockout berth.

World No. 6 Argentina has already secured its place in the quarterfinals with wins over Morocco (6–0) and Poland (3–2).

Ranked 63rd in the world, the Filipina5 enter as clear underdogs, but Merino believes his squad is far from done. “We have to give the best of ourselves, keep our identity, and keep who we are. There’s nothing extraordinary that we can do—just play the best way we can.”

Backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Football Federation, the home side hopes to reward its supporters with a gutsy, memorable performance as it wraps up its historic World Cup debut.

With a return to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in their sights, the Philippine Women’s National Football Team is gearing up for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup next year.

Head coach Mark Torcaso expressed confidence in the Filipinas’ readiness following Tuesday night’s tournament draw, which placed the team in Group A alongside host Australia, South Korea, and Iran.

The Asian Cup serves as the main qualifier for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, offering six direct berths. To qualify outright, teams must finish in the top two of their group or be among the two best third-placed teams across all three groups.

“We’re really excited by the draw, and I know our players are up for the challenge,” Torcaso said.

 “Every team that has qualified deserves to be here. Every match will be difficult, and we’ll need to stay focused and determined to achieve our goal.”

The Filipinas will open their Asian Cup campaign against world No. 15 Australia on March 1, followed by matches against No. 21 South Korea on March 5 and No. 68 Iran on March 8.

With memories of their 2023 Women’s World Cup qualification still fresh, Torcaso remains optimistic: “We’re excited for the opportunity—playing against the host in front of a big crowd, and facing South Korea and Iran in the group.”