COMING off a fruitful Europe training camp, coach Alen Stajcic is happy with the progression the Philippine women’s team is having in the run-up to the AFF Women’s Championship.

“A lot of learning and growth that happened,” said Stajcic, as the Filipinas won two of three international friendlies in Europe.

“Certainly, the results we had in Europe were encouraging. I thought we played really well in certain aspects of the game, and the players and the group really know the areas that we did well in,” he added

“But we’re also really focused on the areas we didn’t do so well, and we know how much more we have to improve.”

As the build-up for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup debut continues, the 53rd-ranked Philippines is up for an early challenge against No. 12 Australia to open the region’s biggest competition at 7 p.m. tonight at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Mel Andreatta, the Maltildas are excited for the opportunity the AFF tournament will provide players starting with the match-up with the Filipinas.

“We’ve seen in the past that many player who’ve been involved in AFF have gone on to experience selection in such tournaments as Olympics and World Cup’s,” said Andreatta.

“So we’re hoping for the same in this tournament. Of course, being an Australian team we also want to perform and do well along side that,” she added.

The Philippines and Australia forms Group A, which also has Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.

Simultaneous to the Filipinas-Matildas match-up is the 7 p.m. showdown between the Indonesians and the Thais at the Biñan Football Stadium in Laguna.

The Singaporeans and the Malaysians will open Group A action at 4 p.m. at the Malate venue.

All Philippine group stage matches will be played at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, which will be a major boost for the women’s squad, especially for those who will play in front of home fans for the first time.

Stajcic highlighted the improved fitness of the Filipinas, noting that this was something they emphasized after their campaign in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

“We have a good group, a strong group, a really united group,” said Stajcic.

The Filipinas marked another milestone last May by winning a bronze medal in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam which will serve as a morale booster for the squad going to the AFF.

Stajcic was also proud of the mental resilience that the Filipinas displayed in the SEA Games where they battled back from a goal down to stun Myanmar in the bronze medal match.

“In my time with the team, we’ve never come back from being behind before. Up until that Myanmar game, and that Myanmar game, we turned it around at halftime,” said Stajic.

“Whether that’s mentality or luck or just the passion and drive to fight to the death, whatever it is, there’s now belief that we can come from behind,” he added.

Matches Monday

(Rizal Memorial Stadium)
4 p.m. – Singapore vs Malaysia
7 p.m. – Philippines vs Australia
(Binan Football Stadium)
4 p.m. – Indonesia vs Thailand