PH tests mettle vs neighbors in ASEAN Women's Futsal Championship

The Philippine women’s national futsal team is looking to make a good account of itself in the inaugural ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championships from November 16 to 21 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig. 

As the country braces for its first FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup next year, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has decided to set the scene for the Nationals with a regional staging of futsal before their biggest debut comes along. 

The newly formed futsal national team, which will be coached by Vic Hermans, is kicking into gear right away against the higher ranked Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Myanmar in the six-day competition that will serve as the appetizer of next year’s grandest futsal showpiece. 

“This is the first time [since the pandemic] that the [Philippines] will try to set up futsal again,” said Hermans on Tuesday in a press conference in San Juan. 

“We have a big challenge ahead in the coming months and next year. We [are facing] four countries all ranked higher than us. But I’m not afraid, we are a good team. From there, we go to January. After that we’ll be going into [more preparations],” he added. 

In 2020, Hermans became PFF's technical consultant for futsal and laid the groundwork for the future with no assurance in sight due to a lengthy layoff from proper competition.

With renewed interest and investment into the program, though, the PFF is expecting to make significant strides in the global stage soon enough. 

“When we started here, we had nothing, there was nothing, there was no competition. But for the last three years, we’ve been growing and growing. I know we’ll be struggling on the road, but that’s not a problem. But if we can be together [to face it] it’s going to be the best,” Hermans said.

“The competition for the women’s side now is [about being able] to follow up, to rebuild what was done before,” he added. 

After holding a couple of successful tryouts, the national team for women’s futsal was unveiled with a mix of former football and longtime futsal players joining hands for the regional meet. 

Joining the cause are Mykaella Abeto, Samantha Hughes, Kayla Santiago, Vrendelle Nuera, Cathrine Graversen together with Princess Cristobas, Lanie Ortillo, Claire Lubetania, Agot Danton, Jada Bicierro, Althea Rebosura, Hazel Lustan, Louraine Evangelista, Alisha del Campo, Isabella Bandoja, and Angelica Teves. 

Within a year's time, the local football body is eyeing to come up with its fiercest lineup ahead of the 2025 FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup through other slated competitions. 

Last month, FIFA revealed that the Futsal Women's World Cup addition will be kicking off next year on November 21 with 16 participating teams pitted against each other while the coveted final clash will be held on December 7.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News