THE Filipinas Under-17 booters are in for an acid test in their AFC Women’s U-17 Asian Cup debut with two former champions and the host standing their way.
During Thursday’s official draw in Malaysia, the league first-timers drew home squad Indonesia and powerhouses North Korea and South Korea in Group A of the Continental meet set May 6 to 19 in Bali.
North Korea has won the biennial tournament three times (2007, 2015 and 2017) and placed second to Japan in the last staging in 2019 when it was played as a U-16 tournament. Its Southern counterparts, meanwhile, triumphed in 2009. Meanwhile, it will be the Indonesians’ second time after the 2005 edition.
The Young Filipinas must finish in the Top 2 of the group to advance to the knockout semifinals against the best and second-ranked teams from an even tougher Group B.
Battling it out for the two semifinals slots in the other bracket are four-time winner and defending champion Japan, China, Australia and Thailand.
The champion, second placer and third placer of the U-17 WAC will then proceed to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in October in the Dominican Republic. — Olmin Leyba
