Filipinas end year with Sydney camp, face Papua New Guinea in friendlies

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine women's national football team are in Sydney, Australia to wrap up their training camps this year in preparation for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

A total of 23 players were called up by Filipinas head coach Alen Stajcic to the camp, and two international friendlies against Papua New Guinea are slated.

In November, the Filipinas were in Chile where they also played a couple of friendlies against the home team, coming up with a draw and a loss.

Among the 23 players invited to the camp are Maya Alcantara, Tahnai Annis, Reina Bonta, Jessika Cowart, Malea Cesar, Sara Eggesvik, Bella Flanigan, Kiara Fontanilla, Carleigh Frilles, Katrina Guillou and Sofia Harrison.

Also called up were Kaya Hawkinson, Kaiya Jota, Eva Madarang, Chantelle Maniti, Olivia McDaniel, Quinley Quezada, Dominique Randle, Camille Rodriguez, Jaclyn Sawicki, Meryll Serrano and Tara Shelton.

Newcomer Alicia Barker was also invited.

"I think we had a great year and we hope to end it with great results at our upcoming friendlies," said Filipinas manager Jefferson Cheng.

"We’ve come so far in the last 11 months but the few months leading to the World Cup will be even more challenging as a group," said Filipinas head coach Alen Stajcic.

"We have a tough road ahead of us if we want to be the best that we can be in the World Cup," he added.

The Filipinas will play against Papua New Guinea on December 11 and 14. Their foes are ranked 50th in the world, some three places ahead of them.

The national team is grouped with co-hosts New Zealand, Switzerland and Norway in the World Cup next year.