MANILA – Filipinas head coach Alen Stajcic admitted that luck played a huge role in their historic 1-0 victory over New Zealand in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Tuesday afternoon at the Wellington Regional Stadium in New Zealand.
The former Australia men’s football team player pointed to the disallowed goal of New Zealand’s Jacqui Hand after the review with the video assistance referee (VAR) as well as the saves of Filipinas keeper Olivia McDaniel as among those that favored them.
“We had some luck but we earned that luck,” Stajcic said in a post-game interview. “Of course, we rode our luck because New Zealand had three or four unbelievable chances (to tie the game).
“There was that VAR call, inside the post goal (that McDaniel was able to save). But the unity, work rate and heart of the team was special,” added Stajcic, who previously handled the Australian women’s football team in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Stajcic further said that he is personally happy that his players were able to deliver the huge victory for the country in their first-ever qualification in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“This must be a special moment in (Philippine football history), the biggest win in any team sport,” Stajcic said. “Beating the host nation in a World Cup, nothing beats that. It’s No. 1.”
The victory was huge for the Philippine women’s football team as it gave them a chance to barge in the round-of-16 if they score a victory over Norway on Sunday afternoon in Auckland.
Filipinas goal keeper Olivia McDaniel, who was named as the Player of the Game in the win, said that it was a total team effort that brought them to a historic victory in the world stage.
“This is just what I have done,” said McDaniels, referring to her numerous saves on New Zealand’s goal attempts. “What the team has done and what the country has done is much bigger. It was a team win.”
“We really put our heads down and we knew what was really coming at us. New Zealand would be coming hard from their momentum of their win against Norway but we put our head down and came in focused. We had a goal in mind and we achieved it,” she added./PN
