Filipinas impress Swiss opponents in FIFA World Cup

They may have fallen short in their debut game in the FIFA Women's World Cup, but the Philippine national women's football team still impressed their opponents from Switzerland during their 2-0 loss last Friday in New Zealand.

Midfielder Coumba Sow said she likes the passion of the Filipinas.

"You can feel the fire that they really want to be here and that they were taught to get to this point," Sow told GMA Integrated News.

"They were disciplined in defending and I think they played with a lot of courage being their first time in the World Cup."

Midfielder Sandrine Mauron echoed Sow. "They did hard work against us. It was a good game," she said.

Goalkeeper Gaelle Thalmann also credited the Filipinas in their good showing in the match.

"It was a good team," Thalmann said. "I think we had them under control but they were difficult to play."

For Thalmann, being in the World Cup means being deserving of the spot and the Filipinas will only grow from here.

"I think they have a good pace and they have an identity as a team and it is important to keep that to keep growing," she added.

Switzerland will play Norway next in the Group A games on Tuesday.

—Justin Kenneth Carandang, with reporting by Ryan Fenix/JMB, GMA Integrated News