Kiara Fontanilla has been consistently chosen for the Team of the Week list with the Central Coast Mariners. Consistent playing time is important for goaltenders for maintaining match fitness, improved reflexes and reaction times and making the appropriate decisions in game. I agree that Kiara doesn't have the same leg strength that Olivia does but I wouldn't describe her as raw considering the confidence and praise she gets from the Australian coaching staff and media. Olivia sometimes looks like she is fighting the ball instead of catching it naturally like you expect an in form goaltender would look like. That is what lack of match fitness would do to you. Barker is not that effective on offence but she is our best alternative at right back at the moment because she is much more effective and intimidating on defence with her physical play and defensive coverage than our other right backs. Unless we get commitments and proper documentation in time from seasoned pros like Angela Beard and Maz Pacheco to man the outside back positions we don't really have a choice but to depend upon Barker and Harrison as starters.
Katrina Guillou scored another goal today in Pitea's 2-0 win over DIF giving her 3 goals in 2 consecutive games helping her club stay on top of the Swedish Damallsvenkan.
I'm gonna post here since apparently, some of the guys in the Facebook group are allergic to criticisms. This SEAG campaign was disappointing. Not only because of the results, which was just secondary for me. I'm more disappointed by how bad we played in this SEAG campaign. I was expecting that at this point in time, with just over two months to go before the World Cup that we would have a more polished performance (regardless if we missed some players, the core was still there). But our play was very sloppy, and even the most basic we sometimes couldn't get right. Our passes we're not connecting, and aimless at times. Most of the team had poor first touch as well. And agree that our attacking line needs an overhaul. All of our goals came from dead ball situations, which seemed to indicate that our mid-field did wasn't creative enough to create chances for the team. And our perennial waterloo of handling speed at the wings still remains unresolved. In total still a lot of things to do in the next couple of months if we want to be competitive. Finally, I agree, Kiara needs to be given the opportunity against relatively bigger teams.
Philippine - Vietnam highlights Goaltender Olivia Chandler fumbled the ball a few times but fortunately it didn't result in a goal. It is also clear that our midfield doesn't look the same without captain Tahnai Annis and Merryl Serrano who weren't released by their clubs in Europe.
Reina is back with the starting XI at Santos FC in Brazil after playing in the SEA Games again the only non Brazilian in the starting lineup. Several of the PWNT players who don't have club commitments or have seasons that are done already(A League) are in the Philippines and were seen attending UAAP and PFL football matches. They are probably there to model the new kits that Adidas is about to release for the Philippines World Cup Women's National team.
Our #FilipinasU17 will face Australia, Bangladesh, and #U17WAC Round 2 qualifiers to be held on September 2023!
https://esportes.r7.com/futebol/de-...bonta-esperanca-de-titulos-no-santos-18052023 From award-winning filmmaker to Mermaid of the Village: meet Reina Bonta, hope for titles in Santos The 24-year-old Zagueira is a Yale graduate and is the daughter of California's attorney general, but chose to play for the Philippines national team SUMMARIZING THE NEWS Reina Bonta is one of the newest signings in Santos women's football The defender was born in the United States, but is the number 10 jersey of the Philippines national team Mermaid of the Village, she classifies as "honor" to be able to be in the same team as Pelé, Marta and Neymar Far from her native country, the athlete seeks to adapt to Brazilian culture and is passionate about feijoada The Mermaids of the Village enter the field on Thursday (18) against São José, for the third round of the São Paulo Women's Championship, and with an important reinforcement among the starters: Reina Bonta. The 24-year-old defender is one of Santos' recent signings and impresses not only with her qualities within the four leagues. The young woman has an admirable and somewhat curious resume: she studied film at Yale – one of the leading universities in the USA – and was even awarded as a filmmaker, is shirt 10 in the selection of the Philippines, in addition to being the daughter of the Attorney General of California. In an exclusive interview with R7, the defender said that defending Santos is synonymous with pride, since Vila Belmiro was also the home of the King and Queen of Football: Pelé and Marta. Reina confessed that, even though he grew up in California, he had heard about Alvinegro Praiano and that everyone knows the importance and legacy of the club. "When I got here and got to experience 'live', it was surreal. Living in the village, going through the statue of Pelé every day, playing with athletes who have played with Marta for years and having the opportunity to meet Neymar 'at the gate of the house' – all this makes the experience at Santos very noble and unique," said the player. Announced in March of this year, the defender is still adapting to Brazilian culture. However, she already declares herself in love with street fair and feijoada. Before making the move to the coastal city, the athlete was afraid, but explains that the love she receives from the fans, teammates and coaching staff make the transition smooth. "Santos looks like a family and I love spending time with the team and the family, at barbecues, going to the street fair, on the beach, watching the men's team and eating feijoada. There are many aspects about living in Santos that make me grateful to be here every day and I still have a lot to experience as well," she said. Born in the United States, she left her family to be able to play in the Brazilian club. Before that, however, the now advocate studied Cinema at Yale, one of the most famous and traditional universities in the North American country, and graduated as a filmmaker. Life behind the camera is successful, just like in football. The director of the semi-autobiographical short film named "Lahi," she has toured Oscar-eligible film festivals, secured the audience award at the Filipino San Diego Film Festival, and won streaming distribution for release in 2024. Reina directed the short film "Lahi" during the pandemic PLAYBACK INSTAGRAM @REINABONTA His father, Robert Andres Bonta, is California's attorney general, and his mother, Mia Tania Bonta, is a member of the State Assembly. He, who became the first Filipino-American in office in 2021, encouraged his daughter to go to the Fish. At the time of university, Robert also played football and, because he was always connected to the sport, enrolled Reina, at the age of 2, in a field soccer team. "My dad is my best friend and role model. If there's anyone prouder than me that I'm playing for Santos, it's him. He is very honest, caring, selfless and I hope to replicate his values of social justice and empathy wherever I go." Despite having roots in North America, the player decided to play for the Philippines national team. Among the reasons for the choice, Bonta cited the family influence and the customs cultivated within the house itself. "To have the honor of representing our flag, playing the sport that I love is something that I'm grateful for every day. We are a small country without a truly established infrastructure for women's football, but the things we have already achieved show that we are competitive, tough and with skill and preparation to fight at the global level," he says while reinforcing the importance of maintaining the Filipino culture. Recently, Reina was called up to the Philippine women's national team and the commitment was the Southeast Asian Games, which is a kind of Olympics of the region. In total, there are 11 countries and more than 50 sports contested. The 2023 edition took place in Cambodia. Despite the dream of "bringing home the gold medal," the No. 10 jersey team failed to make it past the group stages and the Philippines placed 5th in the overall standings of the tournament. The defender's next destination with the national team is nothing less than the Women's World Cup, which takes place between July 20 and August 20 in New Zealand. And once again, the defender dreams big. "It's always been a dream of mine to play in the World Cup and the Olympics as well. But first of all, I want to make my family proud," she said. To the delight of the fans, for Santos the ambition is the same. "It would be a dream to win a Brazilian for Santos and a Paulista, also to win the Libertadores and the World Cup. These are things that I know the team is capable of achievements, which makes me motivated to work hard for the team and the fans every day," said the Alvinegro Praiano defender, who celebrated in Portuguese: "Up!"
"Being in medical school in Indiana has limited Bugay’s ability to join the Philippines team during training windows. Thankfully, she has been supported by both her soccer coaches and her medical program administrators, who allowed flexibility in scheduling. Bugay admits time management has been challenging. “The rate you are expected to learn in medical school and the time commitment outside of class sometimes doesn’t align with the athlete side of training and needing proper sleep and nutrition and lowering stress,” she said. “I’ve had to be very disciplined with myself and plan ahead.” https://medicine.iu.edu/blogs/md-st...e-student-to-compete-in-fifa-womens-world-cup Med student Ryley Bugay(who helped the Filipinas win a WC spot in the Asian Cup last year in Feb) is going to try to compete for a spot on the WC this summer despite not playing a game for the Filipinas since June 2022 and subsequently entering med school. Good luck to Ryley. There is no guarantee she will make the final squad though with so many other new players stepping up in her position at defensive midfielder since she left for med school. That makes Ryley the 2nd med student alongside Sara Eggesvik vying for a spot on the WC squad.
BBC discussion of this year's 8 WWC debutantes. Includes interview with Reina Bonta. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p...WLSHFWn4fRWmpdWskEbKXdazve-XMtuE10P5MvV_ljMrM
Thanks for the link. Reina Bonta is a popular interview for the PWNT because she is playing and starting for such a high profile team in Brazil, Santos FC (Pele's, Neymar's and Marta's team) and actually recently had a photo op with Neymar when he visited the club. She is the only consistent starter at Santos FC among the foreigners signed by the club this season which also included Argentine national women's team players. Aside from BBC, ESPN has also arranged to schedule an interview with her as not only is she a very good soccer player but she is also politically connected with her father who is the Atty Gen of California as well as being an award winning film director and producer in her very first film after graduating Yale U. She also comes from an activist family who is very well in touch with her Filipina roots basing her first film on her own experiences as a Fil Am discovering her Filipina cultural heritage thru the stories of her grandmother. She has been to the Philippines helping out with charitable activities there when she was younger and first tried out in Philippine ID camps in the US when she was only 14 y.o.
I like the fact that the commentators think that the Philippines has a genuine chance of creating upsets in Grp A and a spot in the round of 16 is a realistic possibility.
Former Matilda Angie Beard has made the switch to the Philippines. Ryley Bugay and Jessica Miclat who haven't played for the team for awhile for various reasons have been invited back to the 29 man provisional squad. The team will be trimmed to 23 for the final roster.
29 players named to FIFA Women’s World Cup provisional squad Saturday, June 10, 2023 The Philippine Women’s National Team enters the final phase of its preparation for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup with a month long training camp in Sydney, Australia. Filipinas coach Alen Stajcic has named 29 players to his provisional squad, most of which will be in the pre-World Cup camp set at the Western Sydney Wanderers Complex. Co-captains Hali Long and Tahnai Annis lead the players on the list which will be trimmed to 23 for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand. “We wish the players and staff the best for their final preparatory camp for the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” said PFF president Mariano Araneta. “We appreciate all their hardwork and sacrifice for the country. They have our full support.” PFF general secretary Atty Edwin Gastanes expressed confidence that the Filipinas’ camps and matches arranged by the PFF and the Filipinas management since last year have strengthened the squad ahead of the World Cup. “Nothing beats having experienced playing against quality opponents and I think the Filipinas have done that over the past few months,” said Gastanes. “It will certainly help them in the Women’s World Cup.” Filipinas team manager Jeff Cheng hopes the historic Women’s World Cup stint of the Filipinas will be another shining moment not just for the players but for the entire country. “This is the biggest stage in women’s football and the Filipinas will be shining a spotlight on the country. The team wants to make the country proud that’s why the PFF and the management are doing everything possible to prepare the team,” said Cheng. Landing in Group A, the Filipinas play their first match against Switzerland on July 21 in Dunedin, New Zealand. They face host New Zealand on July 25 in Wellington, before traveling back to Auckland for the duel with Norway on July 30 to wrap up the group stage. Players Goalkeepers Kiara Fontanilla Kaiya Jota Olivia McDaniel Inna Palacios Defenders Maya Alcantara Alicia Barker Angela Beard Reina Bonta Malea Cesar Jessika Cowart Sofia Harrison Hali Long Dominique Randle Midfielders Tahnai Annis Ryley Bugay Anicka Castañeda Sara Eggesvik Kaya Hawkinson Eva Madarang Jessica Miclat Isabella Pasion Quinley Quezada Jaclyn Sawicki Forwards Sarina Bolden Isabella Flanigan Carleigh Frilles Katrina Guillou Chandler McDaniel Meryll Serrano
Fil-Aussie Angie Beard banners Filipinas’ pool ahead of historic FIFA World Cup The Philippine women's football team, recently promoted to an all-time high world No. 46, gets another welcome boost with Fil-Aussie defender Angie Beard on board the pool for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in late July The 25-year-old Beard, who has represented Australia since the under-17 level, comes as another welcome boost for a Philippine team recently promoted by FIFA to an all-time high No. 46 world rank ahead of its historic Women’s World Cup campaign. https://www.rappler.com/sports/foot...al&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter Angie is a big addition at left back as naturally predominant left footed players are hard to find. She was considered one of the best left backs in Denmark when she played for them last season as well as in Australia this season when she transferred. It will help solidify the backline both offensively and defensively as is she as good at providing assists and the occasional goal when moving up the field as she is at shutting down the attack from opposing forwards on her side of the field. She has had 3 caps for the Matildas the past year or so and was becoming a regular callup by the Matildas when she declined an invitation early last year. She then subsequently appeared in the Filipinas training camp in California and finally made the official one time switch(permanent) this month. She sustained a foot injury a month or so ago while playing for Western U in Australia but seems to have recovered in time to join the Filipinas training camp for the Women's World Cup.
The Philippines is scheduled to have an unofficial closed door friendly with #3 ranked Sweden on July 17 in NZ. It will be their last training match before the WWC. Unofficial match against the Philippines June 20, 2023, 10:00 AM The women's national team has finalized a closed unofficial match against the Philippines during preparations in New Zealand. On July 17, the national team will play against the Philippines in Wellington, a final opportunity to hone the details in match play before the World Cup opener on July 23. The unofficial match against the Philippines will be closed and played in three periods of 30 minutes instead of two halves, an arrangement that the national teams decided on jointly and is in line with the rules that exist regarding training matches before the championship from Fifa. The match will be played at Sweden's base camp NZCIS in Wellington on July 17. "We are pleased to have this unofficial match against the Philippines in the build-up in New Zealand. It gives us the opportunity to get a good run through for the whole squad before the premiere on July 23 and at the same time work on our game and our attitudes in match situations against a World Cup nation. The fact that the game is played in three periods also gives us the opportunity to influence the players' load in the build-up and during the time change in a good way together with the medical team, says head coach Peter Gerhardsson about the news. The Philippines is also a participating nation in the World Cup and plays in Group A. The Philippines will play on July 21 against Switzerland. https://www.svenskfotboll.se/nyheter/landslag/2023/06/filippinerna-nzl/
Many of the players are already in Australia for the start of training camp but the professional players who still have commitments with their club in Europe and elsewhere won't be joining the rest of the team until July I believe.
Bugay who hasn't played a year, over an in-form and match-fit Miclat? Just have to ask how/why? and seems I was right with Kaiya Jota... spot in the final 23 totally deserved... no question... sad for Inna though...
I am surprised Cesar made it over Madarang. The latter can fill in at numerous positions including both right and left back positions and forward and can score goals and has been on the team longer than most because of her versatility. I would have dropped both teenagers Cesar and Flanigan and replaced them with more experienced players.
agree... as much as I like Malea, but I don't think she has it at that level for that right back position...
Bugay when she was playing was one of our most effective and physical players on defence. I think Staj was anticipating that the European teams in our group would try to physically dominate our players. Bugay's heft and bulk is more suited to counter those players than Miclat's slight frame. The latter's tendency to get pushed aside and dropping to the ground in the game against NZ last year was the reason Staj stopped calling her up.
I just read on Facebook that Madarang was injured which explains why Malea Cesar replaced her in the lineup.
Maybe worth signaling in the Injury Watch thread? I guess Madarang was one of the most known names of the Philippines team (I don't think it's just me because she played in Italy).
Good idea. Yes she did as well as in Spain. Waiting for an official confirmation from the PFF though.
From Jess Miclat.. The last sentence of the second paragraph "... in a healthier environment." will surely raise some questions... there were speculations before that AS doesn't like Jess, that's why she wasn't even invited in some camps last year even if she was available....