The air seemed different before the friendly match between the Philippines and Chinese Taipei last Tuesday where the former fell to the latter, 1-0.
It was an end of dry season sort of weather, but truth be told, the atmosphere prior to kickoff was somewhere between curiosity, hope, and maybe even with a bit of anxiety.
Curiosity, because it was the first home match for the Filipinas in three years. In the interim, the team has been to the World Cup, and has undergone a major change in management. New faces were on show, as some of the heroines of 2023 were unavailable – Sarina Bolden, Meryll Serrano, and Quinley Quezada being the major absentees.
Hope, because despite all the absentees, and despite not participating in pre-planned international tournaments, this was still the Filipinas — the 2023 FIFA World Cup participant and defending AFF Women’s Champion Filipinas.
And anxiety? Well, as they say, one can’t go to war without sharpening one’s tools. Insofar as sharpening goes, there is a general feeling that the sharpening process hasn’t been thorough enough, especially as compared to recent years past.
Add to the fact that the Philippines is playing Chinese Taipei – the same Chinese Taipei squad that the Filipinas defeated in a virtual winner-take-all game to clinch a berth in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup spot, and you have a very motivated opponent indeed.
This was the backdrop as the Filipinas took on the visiting Chinese Taipei, and after 90 minutes of action, the verdict on the Filipinas’ performance was out – they were not up to par.
In the first half against Chinese Taipei, the Filipinas played poorly, to say the least. They made nothing of note, there was no cohesion, no rhythm to the play.
What attacking intent that was shown was quickly nullified by some stout defending even as Angie Beard on the left wing tried her valiant best to make something happen.
Down 0-1 at the half, the Filipinas came out of the halftime break with more fire in their bellies, and seemed to wake up from their collective stupor.
However, Chinese Taipei held firm and could have added at least another with a shot that hit the crossbar.
Meanwhile, the Filipinas were trying to get things going, but were lacking in creativity and to an extent, some bravery.
At times running out of ideas, the team fell into the trap of the safe pass. Nowhere was this most evident than in the midway point of the second half where, with the Filipinas needing a goal to draw themselves level, fans instead saw some back and forth passing between the centerback Hali Long and her right back Kaya Hawkinson.
It seemed to some there was no one in the team willing to take some risk and make the forward pass, or make the forward run – anything to try to take the game by the scruff of the neck at a time when a goal was desperately needed.
This lack of ideas is something that needs to be addressed, as the Filipinas simply had no answer to the opposition on the night.
Janae Defazio, now of Makati FC in the PFF Women’s League, had her moments trying to unlock the Taipei defense, but it was not enough. Jackie Sawicki and the debuting Chayse Ying in central midfield were effectively nullified, with Sara Eggesvik also having a night to forget.
The defeat will no doubt give more ammunition to some critics, and the knives could be well and truly out, but it might be prudent to keep them sheathed, for now.
The true test will come on AFC Asian Cup Qualification starting on June 29, where the Philippines faces hosts Cambodia, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong in Group G.
With this defeat, there are clearly a lot of room for improvement.
Filipinas coach Mark Torcaso and company have less than a month to get things right and silence the doubters, who would want desperately to be proven wrong.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
Content Source: www.gmanetwork.com