Vietnam War erupts

The Philippines will be battling Timor Leste to kick off its title retention bid in the ASEAN Women’s Championship at the Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho in Vietnam.

Game time is set at 8:30 p.m. (Manila time) with the Filipinas looking to open their campaign with a victory in the group that also features Myanmar and the Australian U23 squad.

The Filipinas are facing manpower challenges as they will be competing without veteran strikers Sarina Bolden and Katrina Guillou due to injuries while midfielders Sara Eggesvik and Meryll Serrano won’t make the trip due to commitments to their clubs in Norway.

Still, the Filipinas will be parading a mix of veteran and young players in their quest to win their second straight ASEAN title and head coach Mark Torcaso believes they have the right tools to get the job done.

“As defending champions, we’re here to win, and do the best we can for the country and our fans. We believe in the depth of our squad and we’re ready to showcase it,” Torcaso said.

“So, the pressure’s not on us. We’re going to go there and just enjoy ourselves and just be the best that we can and make sure that our players are exposed to the national team.”

Bannering the Filipinas will be team captain Hali Long along with veterans Inna Palacios, Olivia McDaniel, Kaya Hawkinson, Malea Cesar and Quinley Quezada.

Completing the squad are veterans Chandler McDaniel and Bella Pasion, Janae Defazio, Charisa Lemoran and Dionesa Tolentin as well as newcomers Isabella Alamo, Lyka Cuenco, Jaycee Defazio, Azumi Oka, Aaliyah Schinaman, Tea Pidding and Adelaide Wyrzynski.

On paper, the Filipinas are expected to have an easy time winning their first match against the lowly Timorese. They, for one, are at No. 41 in the latest International Football Association rankings while Timor Leste sits at No. 195.

The Filipinas are also coming off a successful campaign in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers last July where they defeated Saudi Arabia, 30, hosts Cambodia 6-0, and Hong Kong 1-0, to a slot in the prestigious continental competition.

But more than winning, Torcaso sees the ASEAN Women’s Championship as a barometer for their preparation for next year’s Asian Cup in Australia.

“This is an exciting opportunity for our young players to gain experience and compete at a high level. They’ve earned this chance, and we see it as a key part of our long-term plan for preparing for the 2026 Asian Cup,” Torcaso said.