Torcaso vows a ‘very competitive’ Filipinas in China Asian Games

NEW COACH Mark Torcaso promised a “very competitive” Filipinas as the history-makers in the last FIFA Women’s World Cup (WC) take their act to the Hangzhou Asian Games.

“Obviously, expectations have been set from the success that’s happened in the last three years. But my expectation is we’ll be as competitive as possible while also acknowledging that it’s a new team for me and my staff and we have to find the beat with the players (still),” Mr. Torcaso said in an online presscon yesterday from China.

Mr. Torcaso has big shoes to fill on the heels of the team’s series of milestones under his predecessor and fellow Australian Alen Stajcic. Highlight, of course, was the 1-0 upset of host New Zealand in a historic game at the WC.

Mr. Torcaso had less than a month to get the 21-player squad led by WC heroines Olivia McDaniel and Sarina Bolden running his system smoothly in their first Asian Games foray.

“We’ll spend lots of time getting to know the players in the tournament but yes, I expect the team to be as competitive as possible.”

Best case, Mr. Torcaso wants to make his mark with the team by leading them to a Cinderella run in the Asiad.

“My aim is to win it; everyone’s goal is to win something special like this,” he said. “Definitely, we want to go as deep as possible in the tournament, hopefully finish in the podium and win.”

The Filipinas make their Asiad debut today at 4 p.m. against Hong Kong at the Wenzhou Sports Centre Stadium.

Hong Kong, a team that the Philippines dominated in the first round of the Olympic Qualifiers last April in Tajikistan, 4-0, is largely considered a light opponent in Group E before the Filipinas deal with stronger Korea and Myanmar.

Mr. Torcaso, though, won’t be lulled into complacency.

“Every game’s different, every tournament’s different and every team prepares differently. They might have new players now,” he said. “I’m anticipating a great game. But every opponent, regardless of past results we’ve had, we have to treat them with respect.” — Olmin Leyba