Lady booters goal: Final Four or better

BANGKOK – The Philippine lady booters’ initial goal is to make the 24th SEA Games crossover semifinals, then they would take it from there.

“We don’t want to make a prediction but I can promise that our girls will go all out to surpass their fourth-place finish in Marikina in 2005,” said football secretary general Pabs Araneta in an overseas phone interview with The STAR.

“We’re optimistic we can make the semis. That’s the initial goal and we take it from there,” Araneta added.

The women’s football team, bannered by a number of Fil-foreign players, leaves Manila today. The team is bound for Nakhon Ratchasima where men’s and women’s plays are set in four different venues.

The men’s team didn’t make it to the Philippine contingent as football officials were made to choose only one team by the SEAG task force back home. Some of the men’s team members made it to the futsal squad, though.

“After much deliberation, coaches chose to field the women’s team. For one, the women’s team made the semis the last time. Secondly, it has an intact lineup. The men’s team is not sure whether they could bring in their Fil-foreign mainstays,” said Araneta.

Six teams are entered in women’s football with the Philippines bracketed with defending champion Vietnam and Laos. Myanmar, Malaysia and Thailand are in the other group.

Araneta is confident the team can hurdle Laos to make the crossover semis. Laos apparently is only making its first-ever participation in SEAG women’s football.

“Definitely, Vietnam is much, much stronger than us but we’re stronger than Laos,” said Araneta.

The RP XI is fresh from its stint in the Asean Football Federation championship in Myanmar last October where it lost only by one goal to Indonesia and Malaysia. The RP ladies, however, were blasted by the Vietnamese, 1-9.

“The team has made some adjustments to have all the bases covered,” said Araneta.

Making up the team are Edna Agravante, Merlo Albano, Elizabeth Alley, Claudine Alquiros, Karol Joy Barrientos, Marielle Benitez, Joanna Marina Castro, Mallory Lauren Dayot, Rachelle delos Reyes, Marnelli Dimzon, Chantal Esperanza, Nadia Galang, Angeline Mae Impelido, Patrice Mae Impelido, Ruchell Luto, Loren Mercado, Camille Nierras, Marilou Rubio and Maria Sarah Sumalde. – Nelson Beltran