Filipinas to have 'really good feel' of World Cup foes in Pinatar Cup

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine women's football team continues its push for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup with the 2023 Pinatar Cup in Spain beginning with a clash against Wales on Wednesday (early Thursday morning, Manila time).

Their first taste of competition for the year, the Filipinas will be facing off with European teams in the pocket tournament where they seek to gain invaluable experience ahead of their maiden stint in New Zealand.

Anticipating their opening match against Wales, Filipinas keeper Olivia McDaniel shared that the team is looking forward to get back on the pitch after a much needed hiatus over the holidays.

"It's been really fun getting to be back with the team. We've had ourselves a little break, it's been really nice. The break was really, I think needed so we can all just relax and rejuvenate after the last year we had it's been really busy," she said.

"So being back together with the team has been really nice."

In the Pinatar Cup, the Nationals will be exposed to European football like they've never been before as they also play against higher-ranked teams like Scotland and Iceland in the short tiff.

As they are grouped with similar teams in the World Cup come July, McDaniel believes there will be much to learn in Pinatar.

"We've been going over film and getting a good look at how they play and it's very exciting," she said of their foes in the opener Wales.

"These teams are highly ranked above us but it'll give us a really good feel of the teams we're gonna play in the World Cup like Norway and Switzerland, and the European teams so that'll be exciting," she added.

In the World Cup, they are grouped with co-hosts New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland.

Even as the pocket tournament serves only as a warm-up event for the team leading up to the World Cup, the Filipinas will look to have a strong showing.

After Wales, they face Scotland on Saturday and Iceland on Tuesday (early Wednesday morning, Manila time).