Malditas Prepare For Southeast Asian Games

In SEA group competition the Philippines women will compete against Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

Head coach Let Dimzon says her Women’s National team is “about 90% ready” for the SEA Games. The remaining 10% will come by way of playing tune-up games during an 3-games stint in Japan, starting today. They’ll play against Japanese league clubs and a university team.

Then they’ll be off to Malaysia to play in the international tournament, which begins August 15.

Up to this point, the Malditas have prepared by playing male high school teams in the Philippines. But the prep time has some players and observers worried. The team was unable to achieve the success that it had against male college teams.

“Our main striker, Eva Madarang, was frustrated. But she was playing against boys who were stronger physically and faster,” Dimzon said. “In Japan, we’ll focus on the movement of the strikers.”

When I talked with Eva it was obvious that she was looking ahead. “We were playing male teams with players that were faster and taller than me. That’s why it was difficult for me to get to many balls that were delivered to me. Now, I’m ready. My team is ready. We’ll polish up everything in Japan,” Eva said.

Eva isn’t gifted with height, but she has other qualities that make her a central figure at Moorpark College in California. Now she’s excelling at striker with the National team, having scored multiple goals in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifier.

“I’m very short. Balls in the air are hard for me,” Eva admitted. “But I’m strong, have a great pace, and I’m aggressive,” she said.

The SEA Games will be Eva’s second major tournament with the Malditas. “I’m really excited about going to Japan because I have never been there before. I’m also looking forward to the tournament in Malaysia,” she said.

At the SEA Games, The Philippines will compete against Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam in group competition.

Photo credited to Mia Montayre