Defeated, But Not Discouraged!

Yesterday we had our first game of the AFF Championship.  Although we lost 3-0 against Myanmar, there is a lot that we can take away from the game.  

We are still a very young and new team.  Some of us arrived two months ago, some one month ago, and one of the girls even arrived the week that we left for Vietnam all the way from Dubai.  On top of that, girls had school and work to attend to, so it was seldom we had our full team at practice.  Though, this of course cannot be an excuse.  We have to find a way to take ourselves to the next level.

I think it is really hard for our team to get over this hump.  We have been in the bottom half of the AFF teams for years now and we want so badly to get to the top half, but it is certainly not coming easy.  There have been a lot of things that have gotten in our way.  We still approached yesterday like we could do it. 

Before the game everyone was in good spirits.  I didn't think we were going to come out nervous again like last year.  We actually didn't for the first 5 minutes. I think Myanmar was even shocked that we were putting the pressure on.  Unfortunately, as soon as they got their goal, they were the ones to keep the momentum and for some reason we sort of collapsed.  Our team also had to deal with last minute changes.  The system we had worked on day in and day out had something changed and we could not figure it out and get over it and this killed us.  Though great teams adjust and get past it and we failed in this.  In college, we practiced multiple systems on the chance we would have to change in the middle of the game if our current one wasn't working.  Here, we tried to practice a few days before but when it came to the game we could not execute what we needed to.  The whole reason we changed our system was to adjust to other changes that took place on our team.  Our centerback had been out resting an injury for a month until a week before we found out that it had been torn, but she could still play if she got a pain shot.  So last second we get our centerback back, and we just throw her in the game.  Luckily, she is the type of player you can throw into the game and she will play her heart out and tough it out!  Another problem we had was that the field we train on is turf as well as smaller than an official field.  We had to do more running than normal which left everyone tired which then affected us mentally as well.  All these little things can be said, but at the end of the day they don't matter. Every team has to deal with these last minute decisions or changes or problems.  It the team that rises up above the problems that will succeed and we failed to do that.  

There is a lot of pressure on our team to do well, but we can't let that get to us. If we don't perform we don't get funding. And if we don't get funding it is even harder to get better.  The future of women's football in the Philippines depends on us now and with the women's pro league beginning next year we have a lot to show to make people see that this is worth it.  

So now we move forward.  We suffered a loss to Myanmar.. so what?  We still have Vietnam and Singapore.  Anything can happen, but at the same time we have to make it happen.  Do we have the determination, confidence, heart, and faith needed to beat Vietnam? And if we do, will it even be enough? We won't know until tomorrow.  But I promise you we will play our hardest and if at the end of the day we don't win, we will look back on this tournament as a learning experience and continue to move forward.  We are the underdogs here, yet this is still possible.  Just know that we really do have to fight harder than the other teams, but then again we are filipinos and we do have that FIGHT in us!  LABAN!

<3, Cookie #4

 our new kits!! puma was supposed to sponsor us but packed out last second.. so we copied their design and just left that stupid panther cat thing out.. you all know i hate cats anyway!

 #4

 so we were also supposed to get tracksuit bottoms from puma.. yeaaa instead.. skinny jeans, runners, oversized polos (we were supposed to get puma polos too haha), and teeny jackets=yuckkk.. it's okay patrice and i are still rockin it :)

 team foto in our 4 star hotel! actually very nice hotel and a lot better than the one last year in laos!! very pleased!! and def better than ULTRA! :)

 quick pic of a side street in ho chi minh city! there are so many motorcycles!! and all the girls ride!! and even in heels!! haha

 pic after training session at the game field thong nhat stadium.. far away field looks good.. then we realize its UMAK all over again :)

thong nhat

 grrrr not a fan of everyone in being in the hotel.. you have to see your competition 3 times a day or even across the hall.. there is a lot of staring down :) but still id rather not seem them except on the pitch where we can battle :)

 patrice with one of our azkals :) jason de jong and ohjay porteria both stayed behind to see our first game!! thanks for the support guys! much appreciated!

 hotel ice bath. nuff said.

 well one of those things where i wish i was on my college team again.. i thought it was a pain enuf to gather the laundry to give to our equipment manager to have taken somewhere to be done.. now.. i must find the filipino in me and do it myself hahah.. nanay will surely be impressed lol :)

 oh we look so good in our uniforms!! good job LGR! im lovin the royal blue instead of navy!! matches our flag better and just pops! 

thanks for reading and thanks for the support!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3