DESPITE A gallant defensive stand in their Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup debut, the Philippine Women’s National Football Team (PWNFT) succumbed to Switzerland’s formidable attack earlier today. La Nati, placing 20th in the FIFA world rankings, scored a 2-0 victory over the debuting Filipinas at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand.
The first few minutes saw the PWNFT looking to come out of the gates strong, pressing hard and winning the loose ball battles in the early stages of the match. Their defensive poise was also able to limit the movements of Paris Saint-Germain’s Ramona Bachmann. Utilizing their quickness, a breakthrough came for the Filipinas in the 15th minute as forward Katrina Guillou received a long pass to get the ball to the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Pressing forward, the Filipinas continued to put up a well-organized defensive unit. Despite multiple attempts on goal by their European counterparts, goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel thwarted multiple shots, two of which on Eintracht Frankfurt’s Géraldine Reuteler.
However, in the final minutes of the first half, defender Jessika Cowart committed a foul on Coumba Sow inside the penalty box, prompting a video assistant referee review. A penalty was given to Switzerland afterwards, drawing mixed reactions from the fans in attendance. Bachmann would deliver from the penalty spot to give La Nati its first goal of the contest heading into intermission up 1-0. Additionally, Bachmann’s strike at the spot made her the top scorer in her country’s history at the FIFA Women’s World Cup with four total goals in her international career.
The dominant Switzerland side continued to force the issue in the second half and relied on their physicality to outmaneuver the Philippines to create big chances from inside the box. Their relentless offense deterred McDaniel’s attempts at keeping her team within distance.
Despite her best efforts with two consecutive saves, the Filipina goalkeeper failed to hold off the persistence of the Swiss squad. Midfielder Seraina Séverin Piubel’s right-footed shot from close range powered through in the 64th minute, lessening the Filipinas’ chances for a comeback, 2-0.
The PWNFT’s final opportunity came in the 83rd minute with Aussie-born Angela Beard taking a free-kick in a rare encounter with Switzerland’s penalty area. However, all hopes dwindled as Beard’s attempt was cleared.
The Swiss offense kept possession for almost three quarters of the match, while connecting on 87% of their passes. Meanwhile, the Philippines were only 64% on their pass accuracy and put up only three shots to Switzerland’s 17.
Undeterred by the loss, coach Alen Stajcic praised the Filipinas for their gallant effort. “You saw true spirit, true heart, a team that never gave up, proud of their jersey, proud of the flag, proud of the people they represent, and I think that’s the most important thing,” he shared.
The Filipinas look to bounce back in their next match against tournament co-hosts New Zealand on Tuesday, July 25, at 1:30 PM at the Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand.