THE Filipinas will face Timor Leste on Aug. 7, 2025 hoping to kick off its title defense of the Asean Serenity Cup on a high note in Vietnam.
The Filipinas won the title in 2022 with an impressive 3-0 win over Thailand at home and is hoping to replicate that in Vietnam, where they are grouped with Australia, Timor Leste, and dangerous Myanmar in Group B.
“I do think we face a bit more of a challenge with Australia and Myanmar in our group, but at the same time, there are many great teams in this tournament, so whoever we were drawn against, it would have been a great match up for us and we are excited to take these teams on,” veteran keeper Olivia McDaniel told Asean United FC.
That triumph in July 2022 capped an amazing stint for the Filipinas, where they reached the Asian Cup semifinals and clinched a ticket to the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup in March of that year.
“I think our team has been through so much and we have persevered through many ups and downs, and we have had the privelge to play in such amazing atmospheres like the World Cup,” McDaniel said in the report.
However, this year’s squad is a mixed of veterans and U17 and U20 standouts.
Despite that, McDaniels says the team’s target in Vietnam is simple–keep the title.
“I think our target is plain and simple: we want to come and compete and defend our title. We want to win,” said McDaniels.
After Timor Leste, the Philippines will face Australia on Aug. 10 before closing its group stage campaign against Myanmar on Aug. 13.