AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Despite an anti-climactic end to their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign, Filipinas coach Alen Stajcic was proud of the way the team fought to the death in their 6-0 defeat to Norway on Sunday.
Stajcic said Norway showed it is in a different level by totally outclassing the Philippines on its way to a place in the round-of-16, in the process ending the Filipinas' dream run in their first-ever appearance at a World Cup.
READ: Six-goal Norway ends Filipinas' dream run
But overall, Stajcic said it was a monumental achievement for the Filipinas to go this far in the World Cup - an achievement that will live forever in the annals of Philippine sports.
“[Norway] obviously got some very good players. We said yesterday they are a classy team, they are the favorites to win this group. They showed some of their class with their individual skill,” said the Australian coach.
“They picked us apart and won a couple of battles in the air and in the box early. We really released the pressure, and allowed them to sort of be a little bit more creative as the game went on,” said Stajcic.
“But we tried hard all the way to the end. Even with 10 players, we kept them out for 25, 30 minutes in the end. I’m proud of the heart and spirit of our team. They fought till the end. They fought to the death.
"From that perspective, it’s been an amazing World Cup. The players have punched so far above their weight. They’ll leave an amazing memory and history to Philippines football, and one that will [go down] in the annals of Philippine sporting history,” said Stajcic.
Nearly 33,000 fans, most of them Filipinos from all over the globe, were in attendance at Eden Park, with thousands more watching back home in their own televisions sets or in viewing parties set up in malls in Metro Manila.
This after the Filipinas made history by winning their first-ever World Cup game last Tuesday with their 1-0 victory over New Zealand at Wellington.
“To bring football to life in the Philippines is a moment in history and one that you can’t turn back from following football, following women’s sport, unheard off and unprecedented.
"These players have really left their mark and left a legacy for future generations to come. For me, you can’t ask anymore as a coach. They gave everything they have on the field and today, we were outclassed by a better opponent. That’s just the way it goes in football sometimes.”
On the final moments of the match, Stajcic said: “We didn’t sit back and losing. We kept pressing for goals. For me, it didn’t matter if we lost 4-nil, 5-nil, 6-nil, we just kept pressing for a goal. We kept ourselves open.
"That’s a positive mentality of the group. We fought to the death. As I said, can’t ask anymore from the play of the group, They are amazing.”
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