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| Jessica Miclat eyes for her return to the national team. Photo from Pinay Futbol |
by Drew Malihan
MANILA - The Philippine Women's National Football Team will see some returnees and a few new faces as they unveil their 29-woman roster for the upcoming training camp in Melbourne, Australia, Monday afternoon.
Coach Mark Torcaso has selected three goalkeepers, ten defenders, ten midfielders, and six forwards for the upcoming training camp, which will be slightly reduced when the second round of the women's football Olympic qualifiers for Paris.
Captain Hali Long will lead the squad while looking to extend her record 80 caps for the national team, while former captains Inna Palacios and Tahnai Annis return to the fold.
Palacios will be joined by Central Coast Mariners' Kiara Fontanilla and Olivia McDaniel, who was recently signed by Austrian second side Pinzgau Saalfelden.
Long, Kaya FC Women's longtime player, will lead the backline , with Alicia Barker of Pacific Northwest, Linköping's Angela Beard, Santos FC's Reina Bonta, Perth Glory's Jessika Cowart, Blacktown Spartans' Eva Madarang, and Þór/KA's Dominique Randle, along with current free agent Sofia Harrison.
Newcomers to the backline included 23-year-old Zoë Hudson, who played for Portuguese top flight club Valadares Gaia, while University of California - Berkeley's Aaliyah Schinaman completed the backline and playing for the school's varsity team California Golden Bears.
Annis, Randle's partner in Iceland's top flight, will return to action, along with Mt. Druitt Town Rangers' Anicka Castañeda, KIL/Hemne's Sara Eggesvik, Central Coast Mariners' Kaya Hawkinson, returning Jessica Miclat from Sweden's Eskilstuna United, Cowart's teammate Quinley Quezada, Kaya's Camille Rodriguez, and Western United's Jaclyn Sawicki.
Teenagers Natalie Oca and Isabella Pasion, both playing in the youth team setups, will also try to add more senior national team appearances to the name.
Filipinas' all-time goalscorer Sarina Bolden will be joined by De La Salle University's Alisha del Campo, Piteå's Katrina Guillou, Olivia's sister and teammate Chandler McDaniel, and Stabæk's Meryll Serrano, with CD Europa and West Virginia Mountaineers' Isabella Flanigan completing the cast.
Notable players who were left are Blacktown City's Maya Alcantara, Kaya's Charisa Lemoran and Shelah Mae Cadag, and VCU Rams' forward Carleigh Frilles.
The team will stay in Victoria's capital city before travelling across the country to Perth, where they will face Chinese Taipei on October 26, the home team Australia on October 29th, and will conclude with a November 1 clash vs Iran.
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