ANKARA – Spain and Japan have reached the quarterfinals of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Spain beat Switzerland 5-1 while Japan eliminated Norway 3-1 in the round of 16 matches on Saturday.

Spain reached its maiden quarterfinals, despite playing without the reigning Ballon d’Or winner Alexis Putellas, who is still recovering from a knee injury.

Japan, which conceded its first goal of the tournament, will take on the winner of Sunday’s duel between holder the US and Sweden.

The winner of the other round of 16 clash on Sunday between the Netherlands and South Africa will face Spain in the upcoming quarterfinal round.

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will conclude with the final on Aug. 20. (Anadolu)

The Filipinas celebrate their epic 1-0 win over host New Zealand (SCMP photo courtesy)

WELLINGTON – Goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel and midfielder Tahnai Annis were both asked what Filipino word came to mind in describing the Filipinas’ FIFA Women’s World Cup monumental 1-0 upset of the Ferns in front of a packed hometown crow at the Wellington Stadium Tuesday night.

“Puso (heart)” both McDaniel and Annis replied in separate interviews moments after their milestone triumph that kept them alive in Group A to bounce back from a 0-1 loss to Switzerland in their first match last week in Dunedin.

“It was a huge privilege for me to finally get to play in the World Cup. A moment to remember and to be cherished. We fought hard with heart,” said Annis, who came off the bench in the second half after sitting out the first game.

McDaniel, who took Player of the Match honors, echoed her teammate’s sentiments of the collective big fighting heart they displayed not only against their rivals but also in the face of a jammed arena of over 30,000 animated local fans who rooted for the Ferns to win.

It was left to Australian coach Alen Stajcic to elaborate and explain what both players said.

“Of heart and spirit, this team has got it in spades. In all those factors, they are 10 of 10,” said Stajcic, who tried to hold back his own emotions during the post-match conference, while relishing their huge achievement.

“They (the Filipinas) are one of the best teams in the world for unity, collective effort, and playing above themselves as a unit. When you see that and you know what you have, that is what makes it really special,” the two-time World Cup veteran mentor stressed.

He amplified the significance of the win in just the squad’s second game, comparing the feat to what other countries had to go through in attaining ‘one.

“For New Zealand, I think it was their 15th or 16th match or five or six World Cups,” he recalled of the hosts’ record of futility until they scored a breakthrough 1-0 triumph over Norway at Eden Park in Auckland last week.

“While watching Colombia and (South) Korea before our game, the commentator said they have one win each. Korea has been at least in five or six world cups and Colombia three or four,” he pointed out.

“To think that we have done it in our second match in our first World Cup. You can’t really appreciate how far we’ve come back in the pack compared to where those countries were in terms of their football history, their culture, and investment,” the Australian tactician explained.

Likening the New Zealand game to a boxing match, Stajcic said “that there was no doubt if this was a boxing match, they (the Ferns) were the better team but we earned that win with other qualities,” he said.

Or in a word – “puso.”

(ai/mnm)

AUCKLAND – Despite suffering a 0-2 defeat to Switzerland in their historic first match in Group A of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Dunedin last Friday, the Filipinas remained optimistic and eagerly anticipating their crucial match against host New Zealand in Wellington on Tuesday.

“We can only build from here, stay true to ourselves, and keep pushing forward,” stated goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel, who delivered an outstanding performance in the chilly Forsyth Barr Stadium, keeping the La Nati at bay for much of the game.

“We had an unfortunate PK (penalty kick), but we’ll learn from these mistakes and prepare for the next one,” added the SoCal Union FC mainstay, referring to Ramona Bachmann’s completed penalty in the dying minutes of the first half after Jessika Cowart’s tackle of a Swiss player inside the box.

“Despite this loss, we will analyze our errors, strive for improvement, and apply it to the next game,” continued the goalkeeper, expected to play a prominent role against the Ferns at Sky Stadium in Wellington on Tuesday.

Striker Katrina Guillou, whose early potential goal was disallowed due to offside, echoed similar sentiments, saying, “It was a close call, but we still have two group stage games, and hopefully, we can pick up momentum from there.”

“We started out strong and made things difficult for Switzerland. We were finding spaces and covering gaps effectively. Unfortunately, we conceded two goals, but it’s our first World Cup in our debut game. We still have a lot to look forward to,” she added.

Midfielder Sarah Eggesvik shared the same spirit as her celebrated teammates. “We will continue to fight and eagerly anticipate our next two games,” she declared.

While acknowledging Switzerland’s superiority in the previous match, Australian coach Alen Stajcic emphasized that “the next game will be different.”

Stajcic and the players expressed appreciation for the small yet passionate Filipino fans who braved the bone-chilling weather in Dunedin. They counted on the fans to show unwavering support in the upcoming group matches.

“To all the kababayans who came out tonight, maraming salamat! We love you so much, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for having our backs,” McDaniel expressed on behalf of the team. “Please continue to support this special group; your support means the world to us.”

The Filipinas, also backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, returned to their base camp on a chartered flight on Saturday noon and would be gearing up for their journey to Wellington the next day. (ai/mnm)

ANKARA – FIFA on Thursday extends its “deepest condolences” over a shooting in New Zealand hours before the start of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

“FIFA extends its deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims who lost their lives following the incident which occurred this morning in Auckland, New Zealand, and our thoughts and prayers remain with those who have been injured in this tragic incident,” world football’s governing body said on Twitter.

Following the incident, FIFA President Gianni Infantino spoke to New Zealand authorities, who told him the incident “was not related to football operations,” and the opening match of the World Cup at Auckland’s Eden Park will take place as planned, FIFA added.

“The participating teams in close proximity to this incident are being supported in relation to any impact that may have taken place,” it said.

At least two people were killed and at least six were injured, including a police officer, on Thursday when a man opened fire at a construction site in Auckland, according to local media.

The male shooter also died, said the New Zealand police.

Police launched an investigation into the incident and urged the public to steer clear of the area.

New Zealand takes opener

New Zealand beat Norway 1-0 in the opening game as the co-hosts bagged their first win in the Women’s World Cup’s history.

In the early minutes of the second half at Auckland’s Eden Park, New Zealand forward Hannah Wilkinson scored in style in the box after quick teamwork.

Wilkinson, 31, has scored in three different editions –2011, 2015 and 2023.

In the second half, Norway’s Tuva Hansen had an effort from distance to hit the woodwork but New Zealand goalkeeper Victoria Esson made a fingertip save.

In the 89th minute, New Zealand were awarded a penalty after a VAR review for a handball. However, Ria Percival hit the goalpost to keep Norway’s hopes alive.

Norway’s Guro Reiten lost a chance in the box in injury time, as New Zealand took a historic win.

In their next fixture in Group A, New Zealand will face the Philippines on July 25 in Wellington.

On the same day, Norway will play Switzerland in Hamilton.

Before the kickoff, both New Zealand and Norway players, and the fans in the stadium observed a minute of silence for the victims of the Auckland shooting.

The 2023 Women’s World Cup will run through Aug. 20. (Anadolu)

Miriam Merlin (left) with a friend. (Photo courtesy of Tiebreaker Times)

Former Philippine national football player, Miriam Merlin, showcased her unwavering passion for the beautiful game by embarking on an arduous 23-hour plane journey to support the Filipinas in their debut at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Auckland.

In an interview at a hotel in Auckland, Merlin expressed the historical significance of the event and emphasized that it was an opportunity not to be missed by sports fans. Despite the financial constraints, she opted for a budget-friendly Air Asia flight with stopovers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Sydney, Australia, before reaching her destination.

Having been part of the national women’s team at just 17 years old during the 1993 Philippine National Games in Baguio City, Merlin proudly displayed her old Philippine Football Federation ID card, a cherished memento of her international playing days. She fondly remembered her time under the guidance of the late esteemed coach Orlando Plagata, alongside other former national women’s coaches Leticia “Buda” Bautista and Lelet Dimzon.

Merlin, who has been coaching the highly successful La Salle-Lipa high school girls’ squad for the past 25 years, obtained permission from her school supervisor to travel to Auckland. Accompanied by her former player, Kathleen de Torres, who now works as a nurse in the city, she eagerly watched the Group A match between host New Zealand and Norway at the renowned Eden Park.

Inspired by the Filipinas’ victory in the AFF Women’s Championship last year, Merlin made the firm decision to attend the World Cup and saved up for the trip, despite some opposition from her siblings. Understanding the significance of the tournament, she expressed her immense pride in the team’s qualification and emphasized the importance of taking one game at a time while praying for their success.

For Merlin, witnessing the Filipinas compete at the highest level of international football is an honor, and she joins millions back home in hopes of their qualification to the next round of the tournament.
(ai/mnm)

The stage is set for an extraordinary moment in the history of FIFA Women’s World Cup, as the Philippine Women’s National Football Team, fondly known as the “Filipinas,” gears up for its much-anticipated debut in the 2023 tournament.

Excitingly, Cignal TV’s groundbreaking sports app, Pilipinas Live, which was launched in June, will be covering the historic event, bringing Filipino fans closer to the action than ever before.

Jane Jimenez Basas, the President & CEO of MediaQuest & Cignal TV, expressed her joy in presenting the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup through Pilipinas Live, acknowledging the immense support from local fans. With this initiative, Cignal TV aims to make one of the most awaited sports events of the year accessible to viewers in the comfort of their homes.

Filled with pride and honor, the Filipinas, led by exceptional players such as Hali Long, Sarina Bolden, and Quinley Quezada, are all set to represent the Philippines on the global stage as they take on formidable opponents, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Norway, in their upcoming matches on July 21, July 25, and July 30, respectively.

Throughout the entire tournament, Pilipinas Live will be streaming all of the Filipinas’ highly anticipated matches, as well as the preliminary rounds of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and the best part is that it will be available for free. Fans can easily download the Pilipinas Live app from both the App Store and Google Play Store, ensuring they don’t miss a moment of the thrilling action. (ai/mnm)

ISTANBUL – FIFA will distribute USD209 million to football sides that released their internationals to play in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

“FIFA will distribute a total of USD209 million following the release of 837 footballers for a rounded per player daily amount of USD10,950, regardless of how many minutes they played during the tournament,” the world football body said in a statement.

“The total per player is divided and distributed to the club(s) with which the player was registered in the two years leading up to the final competition. As per standard procedure, FIFA will distribute the amounts via the member associations to which the relevant clubs are affiliated,” FIFA added.

FIFA also said among the 440 football sides that will receive a share of the funds following the Qatar 2022 are a number of lower-tier teams, including 78 second-tier sides, 13 third-division clubs, five fourth-tier teams, and one fifth-tier outfit.

England are at the top of the FIFA list of leagues receiving payments from World Cup revenues for releasing players for national team duty in Qatar.

The English Football Association got USD37.7 million from the total fund of USD209 million, Spain is in second place with USD24.2 million, and Germany came third with USD21.3 million in total revenue.

Manchester City collected nearly USD4.596 million from FIFA to top the list of club payments from the World Cup player fund, Barcelona is next with USD4.538 million, and Bayern Munich are third with USD4.331 million. (Anadolu)