By JONAS TERRADO
The historic run of the national women’s football team came to an end after losing to South Korea, 2-0, Thursday, Feb. 3 in the semifinals of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune, India.
South Korea took the lead four minutes into the contest on Cho So Hyun’s header before Son Hwa Yeon added a second goal in the 34th as the clock struck midnight on the Pinay booters after a Cinderella campaign in the continental tournament.
But being denied a spot in the final will not take away the ecstasy of claiming a historic berth in next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup which the Philippines did in its dramatic quarterfinal win over Taiwan that needed a shootout.
Now the focus shifts on preparing the team for FIFA’s premier event in either Australia and New Zealand, the tournament’s co-hosts, where they’ll face some of the world’s best football nations.
First on the agenda is to work out a new deal with coach Alen Stajcic, the man primarily responsible for turning the team into a competitive one.
Stajcic’s deal lapsed following the semifinal defeat, and the Philippine Football Federation said it will try to keep the Australian in charge of the World Cup squad.
The victors advanced to the final on Sunday against either Japan, the winner of the last two editions, or China.
Cho, who plays for English side Tottenham, struck the opener with a header off a set piece that put the Philippines behind early.
The Philippines avoided several chances by South Korea to quickly extend its margin, but that didn’t last as Son smashed the second goal from close range off a cross from the left flank by Cho Hyo Joo.
Goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel, one of the heroes of the quarterfinal triumph, saved several good chances by South Korea to add to its goal tally as the Philippines was able to keep the scoreline until the final whistle.
Stajcic, meantime, considers steering the national women’s football team to its first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup berth as perhaps the best experience of his coaching career.
He had guided his home country to quarterfinal berths in the World Cup and the Olympics, but Stajcic feels that his debut campaign for the Philippines was a stint like no other.
“This is probably the best experience, I think, in my coaching career,” he said. “I’ve been coaching for 20 years and to take this group who are so dedicated, so determined, so much discipline, so much heart, so much spirit, considering whether or not to ever come to this point.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had to coach a group that has had so many hurdles to overcome, just in preparation that alone in a tournament, and to get to this level and to fight and compete up until the last kick of a semifinal is truly just such a remarkable effort.”
