The Philippines prefers to focus on the positives despite starting its FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup campaign on a sour note following a 0-6 loss to Poland last Friday.

Filipina5 head coach Rafa Merino said despite the setback, they were able to keep up with No. 14 Polish in the competition.

The Philippines is currently at the bottom of Group A with a -6 goal difference.

“It’s not a loss but I think we did a really good game. Keeping this level for 40 minutes is a lot of time,” Merino said through an interpreter.

“Poland is a good team so I’m not sad. I’m happy with how we played for 40 minutes. I think that if one these chances that we had at the beginning to score, it would have changed the game a bit because it would have brought a little bit more energy for the team, and we would have made Poland doubt a little bit more.”

The Philippines has two more matches in the group stage as they try to clinch one of the top two spots for the quarterfinals.

They need to win against Morocco on Monday and Argentina on Thursday to make it to the knockout stages.

Both matches start at 8:30 p.m.

As a saving grace, the International Football Federation (FIFA) president Gianni Infantino praised the country for hosting the inaugural Futsal Women’s World Cup.

“We are writing history and to do it here in such a welcoming, beautiful country is something really special for FIFA, for the Philippines, for all these women who are playing. It’s just fantastic,” Infantino said.

“I think it’s about time that a big country like the Philippines, which is known all over the world for being such a welcoming country, is hosting a big FIFA event.”