MANILA, Philippines – After a challenging 2018 Women’s Asian Cup stint, the Philippine women’s football team had to prematurely end another campaign in the 2018 AFF Women’s Championship, ultimately testing the team’s character. 

“For sure (the competition tested our character). Like I said before, we showed that we didn’t give up, we played all the way till the end,” said team captain Patrice Impelido, who has been playing for the national team since 2005. 

Impelido was referring to the team’s last game against Indonesia where the Philippines came from behind to hit an equalizer by Eva Madarang in the 90+5′ minute. 

However, it was another heartbreak for the team as the country never got past the knockout stages of the AFF Women’s Championship, winning only one game against Singapore, 3-0.

The Philippines replicated its 2013 result, finishing 3rd in Group B off one win, one draw and two losses. 

“Of course one of the challenges is the short preparation. We planned on having 3 weeks preparation but since the weather in Manila was monsoon season, we had to cancel some of our training sessions, everything was so packed and we did the best that we could,” lamented Impelido. 

The Nationals will be preparing for the first round of the 2020 AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament that is slated to commence on September 23, 2018. – Rappler.com