Three years ago, on the same patch of Perth turf they will walk out onto this week, the Philippines were handed one of the heaviest defeats in their footballing history. Australia put eight past them without reply. It was brutal, clinical, and hard to forget.
But sport has a way of rewriting its own stories, and when the AFC Women's Asian Cup kicks off in Perth, the Filipinas will be a different proposition. They carry the swagger of Southeast Asian champions, a deeper squad than any they have fielded before, and a burning desire to show that 8-0 was a snapshot of one bad night, not the measure of a program.
Angie Beard, a former Matilda who now represents the Philippines, did not mince words when asked about that result. "Our last outing against Australia sticks out like a sore thumb, the absolute opposite of what this team stands for," she said. For Beard, whose own journey spans both sides of this rivalry, the stakes are deeply personal.
Midfielder Jackie Sawicki, who plays for Calgary Wild FC in Canada's Northern Super League, shares that edge. "That result was obviously really tough to swallow, but I think this time around, our game plan will be much different," she said. "The dynamic of this team has really changed within the last year, and I believe the combination of our newer players with the veterans will create a good competitive environment."
Building From the Ground Up
Head coach Mark Torcaso, the Australian appointed after the 2023 Women's World Cup, has spent the intervening years doing the patient work of squad construction. He has introduced players of Filipino descent through camps in Manila, while pulling promising youth players into senior environments ahead of schedule. The process has been gradual, at times uneven, but the direction is clear.
The core defensive structure remains largely intact, carrying over the experience of a program that made history by qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, the first time the Philippines had reached that stage. But questions linger around the midfield, where Sawicki and Sara Eggesvik provide composure that the squad still struggles to replicate when those two are unavailable or rotated. The introduction of younger players like Bella Pasion signals awareness of that gap; whether it has been bridged remains to be seen.
Up front, the challenges are starker. Sarina Bolden, who scored at the World Cup, ruptured her ACL in April 2025 and her availability remains uncertain according to Philippine Football Federation president John Gutierrez. All-time second-leading scorer Quinley Quezada will also miss the tournament after announcing her pregnancy last August. These are significant absences for a team that has always relied on a small pool of proven goal scorers.
Fresh Faces, Familiar Spirit
In place of those experienced attackers, Torcaso has turned to a younger generation. Mallie Ramirez, Alexa Pino, and Jael-Marie Guy all made strong impressions at last year's SEA Games, where the Philippines took gold. Sawicki is enthusiastic about what they bring. "It's exciting to integrate them at a time where there is everything to play for," she said. "These players, especially the attacking ones, have shown a lot of confidence."
In goal, a generational shift is also underway. The December retirement of long-serving keeper Inna Palacios opened space for new names. Olivia McDaniel is first choice heading into the tournament, with Real Bedford's Nina Meollo also a regular presence in recent camps. A notable omission is Kiara Fontanilla, who was between the posts the last time the Filipinas faced Australia in Asian Cup competition; she has been passed over in favour of 16-year-old Leah Bradley, a sign of just how seriously the coaching staff is investing in the long term.
Torcaso himself has been candid about what the tournament demands. "The players understand that we're obviously going to a competition that is much tougher than the SEA Games," he said. "So now it's about lifting our intensity, our quality, our fitness levels, our speed, to be of another level higher than that and obviously to achieve the opportunity to go to another World Cup."
More Than Redemption
For Beard, the opening match carries weight beyond the scoreboard. She knows from her own career that first games can define tournament campaigns, pointing to the Philippines' SEA Games run where they stumbled in the opener before winning four consecutive games to claim gold. "I do believe a strong team performance in that first game would work wonders," she said, "but being able to rise to the challenge if something doesn't go our way will be the answer."
The Matildas, playing at home in front of what figures to be a vocal Perth crowd, will be strong favourites. Australia's programme has depth, continuity, and the psychological edge of recent history. But sport rarely follows the script written before kick-off, and the Philippines arrive in Perth not as tourists but as competitors with a genuine point to make. They were Southeast Asian champions eight months ago. They have been through the World Cup. They know what pressure feels like.
Whether this Filipinas squad has enough to trouble the Matildas, or even take something from the game, will depend on whether the blend of veterans and fresh talent coheres under the weight of a continental tournament. One result does not define a program's progress, but it can accelerate it. For a team still searching for its next gear, Perth offers both a test and an opportunity.