FIFA World Ranking Women - Philippines staying at number 85

FIFA World Ranking for Women was released today.

Philippines staying at number 85, same as June ranking.


ASEAN

30 Thailand -1
31 Vietnam -
47 Myanmar -
66 Indonesia -1
82 Laos -
85 Philippines -
86 Malaysia -
92 Singapore -

FIFA

Women`s football to build a Premier League

By Roy Moore

Women�s football will soon have its own league, similar to the UFL, which is expected to kick off early in 2013. The league will showcase the best talents in women�s football, and is also designed to aid the Philippine women�s national team, known as the Malditas, the team�s head coach Ernest Nierras said, in an upcoming episode of �FTW.�

The league will be made of six or seven teams which will play in a round-robin format three times to decide the champion. Those six or seven teams will be made up of the best players from the upcoming Women�s Super Cup, which will be contested starting August 19 between fourteen teams including Global, Loyola, Superstrikers, Sikat FC and a variety of UAAP teams including Ateneo, UST, FEU, UP and La Salle.

With the Super Cup showcasing the best of the already existing women�s clubs, owners of teams in the upcoming women�s league will get a chance to scout teams and players they want to form a new club from.

The names of these owners will be become apparent over the next month.

Ownership structure

With FIFA consulted from the earliest stages, the Women�s Super League is looking to be as professional as possible. The winner of the league format would be representing the Philippines in the AFC Champions League, against competition from other teams in Asia.

Six potential owners have already been identified and the ownership structure is different to other leagues in that they will look for clubs and players to buy during the Women�s Super Cup, to essentially start new teams, rather than allowing pre-existing teams to apply and join.

Malditas will be drafted

One of the reasons for this change in format, and one of the more exciting aspects of the league, is that the Malditas will be drafted. Rather than forming their own team, such as Malditas FC, the players of the national women�s football team would be evenly split between the six clubs. Each of the clubs would have a pick of the roughly thirty Malditas to be drafted so that they begin from a competitive starting place.

After the five rounds of picks, clubs can then trade with each other at will, adding a tactical element and strategic risk � something Coach Ernie was clearly excited about. In addition, National team players will also have a �salary cap� which acts more as a minimum wage than a ceiling as it guarantees that the Malditas will earn at least a certain salary rather than limiting their earning potential.

After the first year of drafting, however, the league will return to the more usual format of signing rights which characterizes European leagues � teams negotiate with each other to buy and sell players with no draft. Coach Ernie explained that a draft would be needed at the start so that one rich team couldn�t just buy up all the Malditas and stack the league � the draft will ensure the league�s competitiveness for the first season and then clubs can manage the transfers afterwards.

Improving the National team

Coach Ernest Nierras was eager to impress that this would �create a market for the Malditas� and lead to incentives for other players to strive to join the national team. The regular football for the women�s players would also improve their fitness and team cohesion for future tournaments.

As coach of the national team Ernest Nierras will not be part of any of the clubs and will remain on the technical side of the league. He hopes, however, that this will massively improve women�s football and make it more competitive with other countries in the region and further off.

One exciting development could well be the inclusion of foreign players, with no limit at the start to how many foreign players a team can field, as countries such as Brazil do not have a women�s league. The matches will be played on several pitches, including the Bonifacio Turf, La Salle, Ateneo and Rizal High School pitches. - AMD, GMA News

Malditas to play Canada WNT ?

Philippines women`s NT (Malditas) is scheduled to play  in a 8 nations tournament in Los Angeles , USA in November.

They are in group B with Canada WNT (!) and two more teams to be confirmed.

Group A got New Zealand , Haiti , LA Vikings (USA) and one more team to be confirmed.

The tournament start on 21. November

LA Vikings

Malditas to Thailand ?

Malditas (Philippines Women`s NT)  is planning going to Thailand in the end of May .

Not clear yet if this will be just  a training camp or  participating in  4 nations tournament ?

Malditas in 5 nations tournament

The friendly match against Qatar Women`s national team been postponed and Malditas (Philippines Women`s team) will play in a 5 nations tournament in Qatar in March

Malditas to Qatar ?

Philippines Women`s NT (Malditas) is romoured to go to Qatar to play a friendly on Nov 20 or 25.

Why do they go to Qatar to play against the worst Women`s NT in the world ?

Myanmar XI trips Malditas; coach fumes

By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer

An improved Philippine women�s side yielded to powerhouse Myanmar, 0-2, in controversial fashion Monday in the AFF Women�s Championship at the National Stadium in Vientiane, Laos.

Playing their first international match in two years, the Malditas fell behind in the fourth minute and were down 0-2 by halftime, before holding their ground in the second half�a performance they will try to build on when they face Thailand at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Natasha Alquiros couldn�t make the most of the Malditas� best chance in the 30th minute when her shot only flew inches above the crossbar, before the Malditas were denied a penalty for a Myanmar handball in the second half.

The result left Malditas coach Ernie Nierras enraged, claiming that Myanmar�s first goal was offside and his team should have been given a penalty for the blatant handball.

�I�m pissed, the girls are pissed,� Nierras said. �We would have won this game. I would not be upset if Myanmar was totally superior.�

Nierras said his players looked a little jittery in the first half, but �did quite better offensively in the second and even had a few good attempts.�

�The second half was ours,� he said. �Myanmar ran out of steam. Our girls kept attacking until the final whistle. Myanmar couldn�t even get out of its own half in the final 10 minutes.�

Even Myanmar coach Yoshinori Kumada was surprised at the Malditas� gallant stand.

�Sure we were expecting to score lots of goals but the Philippines have improved a lot and that made it tough for us,� said Kumada in an article on aseanfootball.org.

The Malditas have no recourse but to beat Thailand and win via a big margin against Malaysia in their last group match to stand a chance of moving into the semifinals.

Only the top two teams from each group will advance to the last four.

�If Thailand wants to win this game, they would have to take it from us,� said Nierras.

inquirer.net

Malditas launch title bid in Asean women's football

MANILA, Philippines - Looking to draw momentum from the gains of the Azkals, the Philippine Malditas kick off their own campaign today against Myanmar in the ASEAN Football Federation Women�s Championship in Vientiane, Laos.

The Malditas make their first international appearance after a two-year hiatus in the Group B duel with Myanmar at 4 p.m., determined to make inroads just like their male counterparts.

�We�ve not had many women football activities in the past two years, so this meet is important. We are looking at developing the women�s game in the long term,� said Phl coach Ernest Nierras.

Four Fil-foreigners have beefed up the Malditas - Fil-American Heather Cooke, a former Division 1 player at Loyola Maryland; US-based Patrice Impelido and Fil-Germans Cristina Keuter and Lorrene Bayani.

Keuter followed the Malditas to Vientiane yesterday after suspected dengue prevented her from flying in with the rest of the crew last Friday. Nierras said the Fil-German midfielder has been cleared to hook up with her teammates led by skipper Marielle Benitez and Sam Nierras for the campaign.

After Myanmar, the Filipinas will take on Thailand on Oct. 19, then Malaysia on Oct. 21, hoping to be in the Top 2 of Group B to make it to the crossover semis on Oct. 23. The finals and battle for third will be played on Oct. 25.

�If all things go according to plan, we aim to be there on Oct. 25,� Nierras said.

aseanfootball

Malditas announce squad for AFF Women�s Championship

OCTOBER 14 (Sugod.com) � Philippines women�s national football team announced the 20-women squad for the upcoming 2011 AFF Women�s Championship in Vientiane, Laos.

The list includes Maria Antoinette Sibug del Carmen, Louella Leah Amamio, Isabella Francesca Miranda Francisco, Samantha Camille Dacanay Nierras, Jowee-Ann Barruga, Marielle Moya Benitez (C), Marice Magdolot, Nikki Regalado, Natasha Claudine Garcia Alquiros, Joma Clemente, Betina Lucia Manzano Yang, Inna Kristianne Beza Palacios (GK), Kathleen Camille Muldog Rodriguez, Aisa Soberano Mondero, Zipporah de la Torre Luna (GK), Patrice Mae Impelido, Heather Diosano Cooke, Cristina Rubi Keuter, Lorrene Jalina, and Angel Metillo. Malditas depart for Laos on Friday.


sugod

The Malditas grabbing football by the balls

MANILA, Philippines - With the resurgence of the nation�s football dreams, watchful eyes are on the progress of each program, including the woman�s national team. Even its name has been unable to escape scrutiny but at the moment, Ernie Nierras, head coach women�s team, has more important things to worry about than defending the team�s moniker, the Malditas.

Oct. 16 is the start of the 2011 AFF Women�s Championship to be held in Vientiane, Laos, with the team looking forward to blazing through the rounds up to the very last day � Oct, 25, when the top two countries face each other in the finals.

Nierras believes that Thailand is the favorite to win this year, noting Vietnam and Myanmar are the other teams to beat, as the Azkals� female counterpart has already defeated the likes of Laos, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia in the past. Whether or not the campaign abroad brings home the trophy, it is apparent that bigger plans are to continue in dedication to the sport of this now football-crazed nation. �The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Women�s Committee, the committee that manages the Malditas, in cooperation with the Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation (FBDC), will allow the women�s national teams the access to the first public football field built on artificial turf,� Nierras announces. �Now we have a field we can consistently train on. Better facilities can only mean better training and better teams.�

Nierras adds that the field, slated to be done by Dec. 15, will be holding competitive tournaments for both men and women, from the younger squads to the seniors. Clinics and football academies will also be arranged once the venue starts its operations. Meanwhile, Nierras shares with us the status of the Malditas coming into the much-anticipated Southeast Asian-wide tournament the squad has ever had to face since its two-year break from representing our flag in the international level.

Coach Nierras believes that Thailand is the favorite to win this year.

YOUNG STAR: How will the Fil-foreign recruits fare in the tournament knowing you�re counting on them to serve as your impact players?

COACH ERNIE NIERRAS: My expectation for the Fil-foreigners (Heather Cooke, Cristina Keuter, Patrice Impelido and Lorrene Bayani) is that they will complement the local players. Patrice is not new to the team. She is one of the senior members. Together with Marielle Benitez, Sam Nierras and Natasha Alquiros, I expect all of them to be the leaders of the team.

We know that when it comes to most sports, women have their work cut out for them in terms of proving themselves. Why do you think the Malditas, just like the rest of our representatives in international sports, deserve the attention and support of our fellow Filipinos?

These girls are the mavericks of women�s sports. They are gutsy enough to be called the Malditas. Now they have to show the Filipino sports fans that being a Maldita is not a bad thing at all. This is something good not only for Philippine sports, but for women�s sports, in general.

You�ve mentioned the important role of some of the universities, colleges and schools to the success of the national squad.

Allow me to thank the coaches for supporting us: Coach Bon Estrabon (University of Santo Tomas), Coach Hans Smit (De la Salle University / De la Salle-Zobel), Coach Bob Manlulo (Miriam College), Coach Angie (Colegio de San Agustin) and Coach Kleng Cacacho (International School Manila). Also, I�d like to thank the University of Makati for allowing us free use of their facilities. The other coaches should be ready to explain themselves, when their schools find out that they have no players (playing as a Maldita). I expect the training pool of the Malditas to grow after this (AFF) tournament.

What�s in store for the Malditas as we bid the team good luck in Laos?

We need to acknowledge the support of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF). The PFF president (Mariano Araneta Jr.) supports women�s football 100 percent. We have coaching courses and seminars, specific to helping coaches of women�s teams. We have refereeing courses for female referees. We will also be working on our grassroots program. The future looks really bright for women�s football in the Philippines.


philstar

Malditas positive on chances in AFF women's tilt

MANILA, Philippines -- With an overhauled squad featuring youthful players, the Philippine national women squad is positive about its chances in the ASEAN women�s football tournament in Vientiane, Laos.

National coach Ernie Nierras believes the team, also known as the Malditas, can improve from their 6th place finish last year in the upcoming ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Women�s Football Championship, which runs from October 16 to 25.

�If all things go according to plan, we aim to be there on October 25,� said Nierras, referring to the date of the championship, on Tuesday�s PSA forum at the Shakey�s UN Avenue branch in Manila.

Nierras was joined in the session backed by Shakey�s, Smart, PAGCOR and Outlast Battery by Fil-Am Heather Cooke, Fil-German Kristina Kuter, Belai Fernando and Sam Nierras, the daughter of the national coach.

The elder Nierras said the Malditas is bracketed in Group B with top seed Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia.

Group A is consisted of Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and Laos.

The Filipina booters will open their campaign on October 17 against Myanmar.

�We finished sixth out of eight teams the last time we competed in this tournament in 2009, but with the players we have now, I�m optimistic we can do better this time around,� the coach said.

The 5�8� Cooke, who has been getting raves from the coaching for her play, said she was delighted to make her national team debut with the Malditas.

�It�s a great privilege for me to play for the country of my mom,� said Cooke, whose mother hails from Iloilo. �I hope that I can contribute to this team.�

The 22-year-old defender played for Loyola Maryland in the NCAA Division 1.

The bespectacled Kuter, meanwhile, immediately impressed Nierras with her playing ability.

Kuter�s mother is a native of Kabangkalan, Negros Occidental, saw practice for the first time with the Malditas early Tuesday morning.

�All I heard was �boom, boom, boom� in practice before we got here,� said Nierras of the 22-year-old midfielder�s powerful shots during the workout of the bespectacled Fortuna Cologne stalwart.

The 22-year-old Nierras, a mainstay of the Ateneo women�s varsity squad, said the recent additions made her also hopeful on their chances in the AFF competition.

The nationals are scheduled to fly for Laos on October 13, a day before the team managers� meeting in the 8-nation tournament, the elder Nierras said.

inquirer.net

2 Davao booters in PH team

TWO players from Davao City have been named to the Philippine national women's football team, which is set to compete in the 2011 Asean Football Federation (AFF) Women's Championship in Laos next month.

The Davao booters are no other than the charming identical twins Marie and Marice Magdolot. The two will form part of the national squad named Malditas, who are set to participate in the Vientiane tournament from October 16 to 25.


The Magdolot twins graduated from the Philippine Women's College (PWC) and are now football scholars at the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

The inclusion of the two sisters to the Philippine national team came as a positive note for a Davao football that has ripened through the years. Several young players, boys and girls alike, were also tapped to play for flag and country in various international competitions the past three years.

The national women's team will actually return to action after a two-year hiatus. The Malditas have not played since 2009 when they lost to Vietnam in Myanmar.

In Laos, the Philippine team will be bracketed in Group B and will open its campaign agaimst Myanmar. The Malditas will also play against Thailand and Malaysia in the group stage.

Aside from the Magdolot twins, the PH campaign will be led by Filipino-Americans Heather Cooke and Patrice Impelido, Filipino-Germans Cristina Keuter and Lorrene Bayani, and Canadian Mallory Dayot.

Also in the team are captain Marielle Benitez, Louella Leah Amamio, Samantha Nierras, Maan del Carmen, Isabella Fernando, Kyra Tagbo, Stephanie Pheasant, Jowee-Ann Barruga, Nikki Regalado, Natasha Alquiros, Joma Clemente, Betina Yang, Inna Palacios, Camille Rodriguez, Jane Mariz Pacana, Aiza Moreno, Zipporah Luna, Nenita Burgess and Pricilla Rubio. Coach is Ernie Nierras. (CRAM)

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on September 19, 2011.

Philippine Malditas return to action in Laos

MANILA�The Philippine national women�s football team comes out of a two-year hiatus when it sees action in the Asean Football Championship slated October 16 to 25 in Vientiane, Laos.

Drawing inspiration from the feat of the men�s team which made heads turn with a semifinal finish in the Suzuki Cup last year, the squad, collectively known as the Malditas, is looking to improve after losing all three games in the tournament two years ago.

The Malditas have not played since October14, 2009 when they lost 0-11 to Vietnam in Myanmar. That team also lost to Australia, 0-14, and Myanmar B, 1-5, in the same tournament.

Because they haven�t been playing international matches the past two years, the Malditas have even lost their Fifa ranking. The Malditas were pinned at 128 in November last year, their lowest ranking in history.
But with a stronger squad playing next month in the Laos capital where the men�s team also started its amazing semifinal run in the Suzuki Cup, the Malditas� status could change soon.

Coach Ernie Nierras is confident that the Malditas can put up a tougher stand this time.
�Now is the time to shine for us,� Nierras told the Inquirer. �Hopefully, this (tournament) will jumpstart women�s football same as what happened with the men�s team.�

Part of Nierras� optimism stems from the inclusion of several foreign-based players in the squad, including Fil-American Heather Cooke, a former Division 1 player at Loyola Marymount, who traces her roots in Iloilo.
The 22-year-old Cooke, who starred in the reality show �Real World� on MTV in the United States, is expected to shore up the Malditas� backline.
Nierras said that with the 5-foot-9 Cooke�s presence gives the team �options that they never had before.�

Height, though, isn�t just Cooke�s best asset.
�I�m the kind of player who will give everything for the team for 90 minutes,� Cooke, who played four seasons in the NCAA, told the Inquirer in an interview shortly after arriving Tuesday night.

And with a team whose average is 20, Cooke�s experience will come in handy as the Malditas gear up for the tough grind in Laos.
In preparation for the tournament, the Malditas have also played matches against men�s teams in the �Ang Liga.�

Marielle Benitez will still skipper the squad which also boasts of former UAAP Most Valuable Players Samantha Nierras and Stephanie Peasant, US-based Patrice Impelido, Fil-Canadian Mallory Dayot, Germany-based Cristina Keuter and Lorrene Bayani and Nenita Burgess from Australia.

Also part of the team are Inna Palacios, Maan Del Carmen, Louella Amamio, Isabella Fernando,Jowee Barruga, Marice Magdolot, Natasha Alquiros, Nikki Regalado, Joma Clemente, Bettina Yang, Jane Pacana, Camille Rodriguez, Aiza Mondero, Zipporah Luna, Marie Magdolot, Pricilla Rubio, Kyra Tagbo and Angel Metillo.

inquirer.net

Malditas (Philippines Women`s NT) List of players

Add Angel Metillo from Bacolod to the preliminary squad for ASEAN Championship in October

Foreign coach for Malditas ?

Romours that PFF is looking for a foreign coach for Malditas (Philippines Women`s NT).



One of the possible coaches could be the Romanian coach Glad Bugariu

Malditas eye 2011 AFF Women�s Championship trophy in Laos

Not to be outshined by the recent success of our men�s football team, Azkals; our Philippine national women�s football team � the MALDITAS -, will strut their wares and prove their worth at the up-coming AFF Women�s Championship in Vientaine, Laos this coming October 15-25, 2011.



The 2011 AFF Women�s Championship will be participated by eight member countries, including the Philippines.



Group stage elimination round is slated on October 16-21.

The Malditas are grouped along with Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar in Group B; while Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and Laos are in Group A.

Philippines� Malditas will first see action against Myanmar on October 17. They will then face Thailand on October 19, and then Malaysia on October 21.

Top two teams in each group will have a cross-over semifinal match on October 23; and the AFF Women�s Championship match is scheduled on October 25.

With around 30 members in the training pool including few foreign based players, our Philippine national women�s football team is currently busy training in preparation for the October Championship.



The 30-member training pool will be cut-down to final 20 members, who will be seeing action in Laos this October, to be headed by Malditas team captain, Marielle Benitez.

When asked about their chance at the AFF Women�s Championship, Marielle said that The Malditas have a good chance of making the semifinal round, but they are eyeing the championship trophy.



�Although, it will be tough because we will be in the same bracket with Thailand and Vietnam, we will go there to win.�, said Marielle. �We have been training hard and preparing ourselves by competing in the Ang Liga which is a Men�s tournament to get the much needed exposure against quicker and tougher opponents.�, she added.

Our Philippine national women�s team, is yet to make it to the semifinal round since the inauguration of AFF Women�s Championship in 2006. The closest we get was in the 2008 edition where the Malditas ranked 3rd in group stage elimination.

By: Devin Pulvera, www.azkalero.com

Malditas at Rizal

Message from Malditas (Philippines Women`s NT) :

"Come visit the MALDITAS before the AZKALS game. We will have a booth along the Adriatico entrance of RIZAL. Harap ng MACDO Harrison Plaza! The MALDITAS will be there to support the AZKALS!"

Mapua 7-0 Malditas: Men too strong for Malditas

Manila, JULY 25 (Sugod.com) � The Mapua men�s football team were too strong for the Philippines women�s national football team after Mapua emerged victorious in a 7 goal thriller at their Ang Liga match held at the San Beda College football field last Sunday.

Mapua showed a great performance with fluidity and flair as they recorded a big victory over Malditas. It was a tough match for the Philippines women�s team who have been competing against different men�s football team in the Ang Liga football tournament.

Philippines Women`s NT - Malditas

Fil-foreigners to try out for PH Malditas

THE Philippine Malditas women�s national football team is going the the Azkals� way with the arrival of two Fil-foreign players from the United States and Germany.

Team manager and coach Ernie Nierras said yesterday that Fil-American Heather Cooke and Fil-German Cristina Keuter will join the tryouts for the national women�s team in the next few weeks.

The 22-year-old Cooke, whose father is a US naval officer and whose mother is a Filipina, is one of the best defensive players of the Arunderl Soccer Association Chesapeake Charge, which made it to the Division I quarterfinals of the Women�s Professional Soccer League in the US.

While attending college at the Loyola University in Maryland, she was a four-year women�s soccer letter winner, an All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference First Team honoree and a recipient of the Ernest Lagna and John R. Moller awards.

The 21-year-old Keuter, whose father is German and whose mother is a Filipina from Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, is a member of the SC Fortuna squad in Cologne.

�They are not yet shoo-ins to the team. But I will see them soon during the team inspections,� said Nierras, who is conducting regular tryouts and practices at the pitch of the University of Makati.

Nierras said the Malditas have been inactive for the last 18 months, but are set to see action in the Group Stage of the ASEAN Football Federation Women�s Championship slated Oct. 15 to 25 in Laos. Peter Atencio

Manila Standard Today