Filipinas to play familiar foes in 2022 Asian Games

The Filipinas are up against familiar opponents come the pandemic-delayed 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September 2023.

This, after the Philippine women's national football team (PWNFT) was drawn in Group E with South Korea, Myanmar, and Hong Kong.

PWNFT will appear in their first-ever Asiad after withdrawing from the 1990 edition.

The Philippines, world number 46, is no stranger to 17th-ranked South Korea as the latter defeated the former in the semifinals of the 2022 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Asian Cup, 2-0.

Meanwhile, the Filipinas and Myanmar is one win and one defeat in their previous two head-to-head encounters.

In the 2021 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Alen Stajcic led the nationals to its first podium finish in the biennial meet after nearly 40 years by beating the Burmese side, 2-1, in the battle for bronze.

However, Myanmar, ranked 50th globally, avenged its defeat after overcoming the Philippines in the group stage of the 2023 SEAG. The loss ultimately cost the Filipinas' qualification to the semifinal round.

Of the three nations the Philippines will face, they had the best results over Hong Kong, 78th worldwide, in their previous two matches.

The nationals took down Hong Kong in the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers in 2021 before dealing them a 4-0 beating in the 2024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament last April to barge in the second round of the competition this October 2023.

The Philippines currently prepares for their crucial fixture versus Norway in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on Sunday, July 30.