The upset-conscious Philippine women’s football squad is excited but at the same time unfazed as they take on the fancied Norway squad on Sunday for a coveted place in the next round at the close of thrilling Group A play in the FIFA Women’s World Cup at Eden Park in Aukland.
“Obviously we are looking forward to the game (against Norway). It’s a massive game, a massive occasion for us. Playing at a special sporting ground like Eden Park, a hallowed turf,” said coach Alen Stajcic during the pre-match conference Friday.
“From a team perspective, we are all very excited and looking forward to the game tomorrow.”
As before, the Australian tactician declined to get carried away by the moment and only has one thing on his mind when the two teams face each other at 7 p.m. (3 p.m. Manila time).
The match will take place simultaneously with an equally vital clash in Dunedin between host New Zealand and Switzerland. The winner will likewise secure a spot in the round of 16.
“We treat every game the same. I don’t care if we are playing Norway; I don’t care if we are playing America, Myanmar, or Hong Kong. Every single game is the same preparation. So it is not really relevant if we are playing life or death tomorrow, or if we need to win or need to draw,” he said.
“We go out to win every game.”
The Grasshoppers are ranked No. 12 in the world, 34 rungs higher than the Filipinas.
Cowart, an ace defender who joined Stajcic, showed no fear of their favored rivals.
“It’s football; there are 11 of us and 11 of them. There is a ball, and we want to score, and we want to keep them out of our net,” said Cowart.
At the prospect of defending against Norwegian star forwards Ada Hegerberg and Caroline Hansen, she said, “I am excited to play football, so whether it is up against Caroline Graham Hansen or someone from Woodside, California, I’m excited.
“And so it makes no difference to me who ever comes down from the field.”
Stajcic reiterated the significance of their reputation as overachievers when virtually everyone else counted them out.
“From a coaching perspective, I am really proud of the whole group that we got to this point in this tournament,” he pointed out. “We are still alive. No one thought we would be alive, and we were everyone’s underdogs.
“(But now) we are going up against a superpower in women’s football, historically, and knowing that we have a chance of progressing into the next round.”
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