Chandler McDaniel found a silver lining in the Filipinas’ 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan last Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, turning focus from the disappointing result to the promise of the team’s rebuilding momentum.
McDaniel, who struck early with the Filipinas’ opening goal just two minutes into the match, highlighted the importance of having the senior core reunited after missing the chance to compete together during the country’s unsuccessful title defense in the 2025 AFF Women’s Championship last August.
“This was my first time scoring at home, so I was very happy,” said the 5-foot-7 forward, who now has 12 goals in 24 international appearances. “Always nice to come out and score a goal in the first couple of minutes. Really proud of the girls (since) it was a tough week.
“Not everyone was at the 2025 AFF Women’s Championship, so it’s nice to have the core group here. We didn’t get the win, but it’s still progress, and we’re just gonna keep working towards the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, which is the ultimate goal.”
Coach Mark Torcaso, in arranging this friendly during the FIFA window, deliberately sought a challenging opponent to expose the team to the intensity and style of play they will face in the months ahead.
Uzbekistan, also set to compete in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, delivered exactly the kind of tough test the Filipinas needed.
McDaniel welcomed the challenge, noting that it also benefits her club team, Stallion Laguna. She and her fellow national team players now get early exposure to players from Uzbek club Nasaf, which will compete in the 2025–26 AFC Women’s Champions League this month.
“I think every team we play that is in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup as well (makes) it always a rivalry. I also know, for the Stallion girls, that an Uzbekistan team is also going to the AFC in a couple of weeks,” she said.
“It’s always good to see who we’re gonna play against. It’s always good to play against hard teams, which makes us better. We’d love to play them again and see how it goes next time.”
Looking ahead, the Filipinas turn their focus to the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December, where they are once again grouped with Vietnam, Myanmar, and Malaysia.
While the SEA Games are a highlight for regional pride, McDaniel emphasized that the national team’s ultimate goal remains the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, which doubles as the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament.
“SEA Games is always such a fun tournament to go to. We randomly have the same group as last time. We have a number of core girls who can go this time. I’m super excited to go and see how we play against those teams,” she said.
“Like I said before, all preparations are for the (World Cup) qualifiers this March.”
