Filipinas test Peruvians’ mettle

The Philippine women’s national football team takes on host Peru on Saturday (Manila time) as the Filipinas continue their preparations for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Ranked No. 39 in the world, the Filipinas will face the No. 73 Peruvians in two exhibition matches, giving them a chance to experience the style and physicality of South American football ahead of the global tournament.

Head coach Mark Torcaso said the camp would provide valuable preparation for the challenges awaiting the team in Brazil.

“The upcoming camp in Peru is a great opportunity to play in South America. We are grateful for the chance to get a little taste of what Brazil could be like,” Torcaso said.

“We need to work on playing a team that is potentially a very good South American team so we can work on ourselves and what we want to do.”

The Filipinas reached the quarterfinals of the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, before turning their attention to the World Cup.

Torcaso said the matches would also haelp the coaching staff assess new players and refine the team’s attacking approach while maintaining its defensive foundation.

“We have a few new, exciting players to hopefully push for a spot on the World Cup roster. Kellie Pagador is a fresh face that will excite, and we are looking forward to seeing a few others,” he said.

“I think you guys have seen that in the last couple of months, we’ve really focused on the way we defend. In these next couple of games, we’ll see the way we want to try to attack a little bit as well, while still focusing on our defensive game.”

Team captain Hali Long will lead the Filipinas alongside World Cup veterans Katrina Guillou, Olivia McDaniel and Sara Eggesvik.