With less than a month before the FIFA Women’s World Cup unfurls in Australia and New Zealand, let’s get to know our history-making Filipinas, who are looking to push their luck and boost their stock even more.
On the spotlight is Olivia Davies McDaniel, the squad’s heroine, who converted the crucial penalties and made the key defense during the team’s shootout against Chinese Taipei, handing the Philippines a historic trip for the first time in the World Cup.
“Olivia had her start with the Filipinas’ scene when she came on as a substitute in the final moments of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers against Hong Kong in 2021. Since then she has made 29 appearances and is credited with 10 clean sheets for the Philippines,” said the post on the official page Philippine Women’s National Football Team.
“Between international duties, the 25-year-old goalkeeper stays focused with American club So Cal Union FC.”
In an interview with Isabel Cootes of Optus Sport, McDaniel shared how she felt in that winning moment.
“It came to the PK where I had to save it, I saved it and I was just like, ‘Let’s go. We’re in this, we’re not out yet. I think that was basically what was going through my head the whole time like we’re not losing here,” Davies-McDaniel was quoted by Optus Sport. Randy Caluag
McDaniel completed the save off two penalty shots by Chinese Taipei and set home one of her own, before Sarina Bolden completed the moment by scoring off a penalty.
The rest was history.