Game today:
(Perth Stadium)
3:10 p.m. — Philippines vs Australia
A big test awaits the Philippine national women’s football team as it faces Australia today in the 2024 Asian Football Confederation Olympic Qualifying Tournament at the Perth Stadium in Australia.
Hostilities kick off at 3:10 p.m. as the Filipinas face the Matildas for the top spot in Group A and a chance to make it to the third and final round of the qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Summer Games.
Originally, the game was supposed to be held at the Perth Rectangular Stadium but it was moved to its current venue due to a high demand for tickets.
Both squads are coming off wins with the Philippines trashing Chinese Taipei 4-1 last Thursday and Australia clubbing Iran, 2-0.
Currently, the Filipinas are on top of Group A with a +3 goal difference while the Australians are at second place with a +2 goal difference.
A win or a draw against the Matildas, who are currently 11th in the International Football Federation ranking, will boost the Filipinas’ chances of making it through to the third and final round of the qualifiers in February 2024.
Only the top teams of each group and the best second-place team will get out of the second round for a crack at the two spots for the Paris Olympics.
For Filipinas head coach Mark Torcaso, the Filipinas’ optimism and positive attitude will be a key factor when they play the Aussies on home soil.
“The one thing that really does surprise me about this group, something I’ve never seen before, the second that they walk out before they warm up the tunnel and the changing room, it’s like a circus,” Torcaso said.
“They’re just screaming and so excited to be out there on the field doing something that they love. I think that’s a true representation of the culture that they’ve grown in this group. It’s just generally the way they are as people.”
The Filipinas will have Sarina Bolden leading the team after netting a brace against the Taiwanese and Chandler McDaniel and Katrina Guillou, who also scored in their previous match.
Matildas forwards Ellie Carpenter and Sam Kerr will be the ones to watch out for the Filipinasas they put on solid showing the last time against the Iranians.
