Long savors 90th game with Filipinas

Hali Long couldn’t help but get emotional after achieving a personal milestone during a friendly match between the national women’s football team and Chinese Taipei last Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

Although the Filipinas failed to get the victory, the Missouri-born Long suited up in her 90th appearance for the national squad since arriving in the country in 2016.

The 30-year-old Long admitted that she wasn’t aware of her feat until head coach Mark Torcaso reminded her before the kickoff of the friendly duel that is part of their preparation for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers in Cambodia on 29 June.

“It’s tough. I didn’t know it was my 90th until Coach Mark (Torcaso) said something like 20 seconds before the game started,” Long, who was born to an American father and a Filipina mother, said.

“Every cap is an honor. I mean, I don’t take any of this for granted — friendly, qualifier — I just try to set the best example I can for my teammates. Old, young.”

Long said they really wanted to run away with a victory as the match was the first time they played at the historic venue since winning the ASEAN MSIG Serenity Cup in 2022.

“It’s unfortunate we couldn’t win tonight at home. We haven’t played here in a long time. So it’s bittersweet,” Long said.

Long had big feats with the Filipinas.

In fact, she was part of the national squad that made a historic appearance in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand.

Long was also one of the veterans when the Filipinas made the quarterfinal of the 19th Asian Games in the same year in Hangzhou, China.

Still, Long knows there are still a lot of matches to play this year as they compete in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers and defend the MSIG Serenity Cup from 6 to 19 August in Vietnam.