Key events
The Philippines, thanks to a strong diaspora community in New Zealand (and being the underdogs, you suspect), were well supported during their opener in Dunedin, but they’ll be outnumbered today by fans of the host nation at a sold-out Cake Tin (aka Sky Stadium/Wellington Regional Stadium). It promises to be another party atmosphere, a party Alen Stajcic is invited to. No, wait, he’s hosting. Either way, he’ll be there.
“Fortunately we only have to play against 11,” Stajcic said. “We want to crash the party. It’s not really their party. It’s everyone’s party. It’s our party as well. It’s a brilliant occasion for football and for New Zealand … but as motivating as it is for New Zealand, it is for our team as well.”
And have a read in a bit more depth about the Football Ferns (this was written before Thursday’s momentous win, which rather changed the narrative).
Football in the Philippines has always been in the shadows of basketball and boxing but in the last decade, the women’s international team, the Filipinas, has been steadily on the rise and came close to qualifying for the 2019 World Cup in France.
Read our full team guide below:
Line-ups
Well, this is easy enough – both New Zealand and the Philippines are unchanged from their opening outings.
New Zealand:
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21 Victoria Esson
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4 CJ Bott
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13 Rebekah Stott
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14 Katie Bowen
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7 Ali Riley
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20 Indiah-Paige Riley
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6 Malia Steinmetz
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2 Ria Percival
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12 Betsy Hassett
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16 Jacqui Hand
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17 Hannah Wilkinson
Philippines:
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1 Olivia McDaniel
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17 Alicia Barker
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5 Hali Long
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3 Jessika Cowart
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13 Angela Beard
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16 Sofia Harrison
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20 Quinley Quezada
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4 Jaclyn Sawicki
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8 Sara Eggesvik
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21 Katrina Guillou
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7 Sarina Bolden
A quick word on that earlier kick-off in Group H – Colombia stunned Korea 2-0 thanks goals from Catalina Usme and Linda Caicedo. While we wait for the full match report to come in, consider this for a moment: Casey Phair became the youngest player to appear at a Women’s World Cup at the age of 16 years and 26 days. What were you doing at 16? Amazing achievement.
Preamble
Mike Hytner
Hello. No time for overly-wordy intros today – the football is coming too thick and too fast at the moment. Already done and dusted at the Sydney Football Stadium (just down the road from where I am sat) is Colombia v South Korea (more on that one to follow); next up are co-hosts New Zealand against Women’s World Cup debutants the Philippines across the ditch in Wellington.
The Football Ferns opened their campaign, and the tournament, in memorable fashion, with a win over fancied Norway on opening night in Auckland. You could say that Hannah Wilkinson’s historic goal went down pretty well in New Zealand.
It means that qualification for the last 16 is within touching distance for the Ferns – a second victory today will put them in a great position to progress to the knock-out phase of the tournament.
What about the Philippines? While they lost their first ever World Cup game – a 2-0 defeat on Friday to Switzerland – they did not at all look out of place at this level of world football with a spirited display, during which they had Katrina Guillou’s strike ruled out for offside. That was a shame.
“We belong. We think we can compete at this level,” coach Alen Stajcic said after the game. “We’ve arrived at the point where we’ve improved significantly enough to where we can go on the pitch and believe that we can win.”
Believing is a good start. Can they actually turn that belief into a result and carve out a slice of their own history against New Zealand today? Kick-off in Wellington is coming up. Stick with us.
