Sofia Harrison not taking Filipinas spot for granted, hopes to earn chance to play in front of PH crowd

After a bronze medal finish in the recently concluded 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, the Philippine Women’s National Football team now set their sights to yet another regional tournament, but this time to be played at home.

Fans are eagerly anticipating the start of the AFF Women’s Championships 2022, where most of the Filipinas will play in front of the home fans for the first time.

And with the Filipinas rising yet again in the FIFA rankings to 53rd place in the world, a record-high for the team, there will be some degree of pressure and expectation for the team to do well on home soil.

For defender Sofia Harrison, this is another challenge for the team to conquer.

“From a personal and team standpoint, I think we’ve all realized our true potentials and how successful we can be if we continue to work hard. Like any other team, we have and will continue to face ups and downs. Fans can only see the games we play - they don’t get to experience the behind-the-scenes action, so they don’t see the hard work that every individual is putting into this team,” says Harrison.

The 23-year-old has been a mainstay for the team and has been quietly and consistently putting in solid performances at left back for Coach Alen Stajcic.

Despite that, she does not take her spot on the team for granted.

“I always have the mindset that nothing is guaranteed in life. With that, I never see my spot on the team as guaranteed, so it’s my job to keep working hard and improving in order to earn a spot on the team.”

Sofia looks back at the recently concluded SEA Games, and talks us through the experience of playing the host country in Cam Pha, Vietnam.

“The crowd against Vietnam was the biggest crowd that most of our team had played in front of. It was a surreal experience to play in front of such a large crowd,” she explains.

“Personally, it wasn’t as intimidating as I thought it’d be. During warm-ups, our assistant coach Nahuel (Arrarte) kept telling us to ‘smile’ and ‘embrace the experience,’ and I think that really helped.”

The subsequent semi-finals defeat to Thailand was difficult, but they had to pick up the pieces in the bronze medal match against rivals Myanmar, where down 0-1 at the half, the Filipinas knew they had to dig very deep if they wanted that podium finish.

“It was a tough loss against Thailand, but we couldn’t let that stop us from earning a medal for our country. We had to move forward and focus on the next game. Down 0-1 at halftime, we knew we would have to give it everything we had to come back and win the bronze.”

And in the end, the bronze medal was something she will treasure.

“Winning the bronze medal was such a surreal feeling and experience. The thousands of fans in Vietnam were all cheering for us and congratulating us - it was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.”

“Moreover, to achieve something that hadn’t been done in 37 years, it was such an honor to bring home a medal for the Philippines.”

The Filipinas are now well and truly in the spotlight, and have served as inspiration for aspiring young children here to emulate.

“It’s very humbling and rewarding to see that children look up to us as role models. I think actions speak louder than words, and so I hope that my work ethic shows aspiring athletes that you can do anything you set your mind to,” she expounds.

“If you really want something in life, you’ll find a way to make it happen. It may not happen right away, but you have to trust the process and trust God.”

She is also thankful to the support the team has been getting of late.

“I think the biggest difference between the time I started and now is the amount of support we have. We’re very fortunate to have Sir Jeff (Cheng) managing our team and providing equipment that’s necessary for us to improve as a team and professional program.”

“The media coverage and recognition are great, but I don’t like to get too wrapped up in all of that. However, it’s great to see that women’s football in general is getting more support and recognition around the world.”

In the 2022 AFF Championships, the Filipinas are bracketed with very familiar foes in Group A, with Thailand, Indonesia, and Australia making up the group together with Malaysia and Singapore. With the loss to Thailand still fresh on their minds, motivation is naturally high against our Southeast Asian neighbors.

“I think everyone is motivated and looking forward to playing against Thailand. We didn’t have our best showing at SEA Games, but we will do our best to improve on our mistakes and play better.”

“I think the AFF tournament will be another great test for our team. We are doing everything we can to prepare and improve as individuals and as a team.”

Sofia made her first cap for the Philippines in the AFF Championships in 2018 and if selected, will come full circle and will now play in front of home fans for the first time this July 2022.

“If chosen for the tournament roster, this will be my first time playing in front of a crowd in the Philippines, so I’m very excited to represent our country if given the opportunity.”

“The past few years have been difficult for everyone, so I hope we can bring some light, joy, and happiness to the people of the Philippines.”

The Filipinas open their AFF Championship campaign against Australia on July 4 at 7pm. With the venue now shifting to the historic Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila, fans are now expected to come in droves and show their support to the Filipinas in their quest to win the tournament for the first time.

—JMB, GMA News