There were a lot of positives. But there is lot of work to do, too.
The Philippines’ U20 national girls football team is starting to make a name for itself.
This after the squad finished in second place in the group phase of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualification in Vientiane, Laos.
The Filipinas U20 stunned the host team, 1-0, before ending up in a 2-2 stalemate against Hong Kong to earn 4 points in the tournament—not bad for a team that was assembled only a few weeks ago.
“It was a great experience for the players to see what’s required to compete at this level,” said coach Nahuel Arrarte.
Although the team lost to powerhouse China, 6-0, Arrarte couldn’t help but be proud.
“This group of players adapted and implemented a fighting spirit that sometimes takes years to achieve,” said Arrarte. “Within two weeks they competed and beat a team [Laos] that has been together for several months and has a long history of good youth programs.”
According to Arrarte, this performance underscores the need to continue having development programs in the Philippines to expand the pool.
“We don’t want to just compete in tournaments, we want to get to a point where we are winning tournaments. We want to beat higher-ranked nations and make youth World Cups,” he said.
“With adequate time, a collective approach, and support, we truly believe it can be achieved.”
