HAD she chosen to do so, Filipino-British defender Mayumi “Maz” Pacheco, now playing for Aston Villa in the FA Women’s Super League in the United Kingdom, could have been a lawyer after getting her lawyer’s degree from Sheffield University in 2022.
Instead, Pacheco, 26, sustained her passion and stuck it out playing football and will now be part of a reinforced back row making her debut for the Filipinas in the three-nation Pink Ladies Cup scheduled from Oct. 26 to 30 in Antalya, Turkey.
She will join fellow debutant and former UCLA Bruin defender Janae de Fazio, who played for the Kansas City Current in the recent National Women’s Soccer League Summer Cup; Angela Beard, Sofia Harrison, Hali Long, Ariana Markey and Lauren Villasin on the back line.
The Philippine National Women’s Football Team announced the development on its official Twitter account last Saturday, which Pacheco re-posted on her own Twitter page.
“We want to keep expanding our pool of players and allow everyone every chance to play for our national team in the future. Maz (Pacheco’s nickname) provides our group with professionalism, experience and excitement,” Australian Filipinas coach Marc Torcaso said in a statement.
“After talking to Maz, she is very excited to come into camp and get into training. Maz will work with our group to familiarize herself with our way of play. She along with a few other new faces will bring freshness and competition amongst the group,” Torcaso added.
“We are excited for Maz to be part of this, but equally excited for Janae De Fazio who has just spent the summer with Kansas City in the NWSL. It’s an exciting time, and I know that all the players are looking forward to getting together again,” the Aussie tactician said.
Named as goalkeepers for the three-nation series also featuring Jordan and Congo were Olivia McDaniel, Inna Palacios and Nina Meollo while the midfield is composed of Anicka Castaneda, Judy Connolly, Sara Eggesvik, Kaya Hawkinson, Isabella Pasion Quinley Quezada, Jaclyn Sawicki and Merryl Serrano.
The offense will be made up of strikers Sarina Bolden, Alessandra Carpio, Isabella Flanigan, Katrina Guillou, Nina Mathelus and Chandler McDaniel.
Torcaso disclosed other players were also considered but were unavailable either due to injury or college commitments, among them Katana Norman, Camille Sahirul, Reina Bonta, Inday Tolentin, Alexa Pino and Carleigh Frilles.
“We have some fresh faces, some World Cup players return, and also some youth. This is an exciting group and we are very much looking forward to Turkey. We will roll out our new playing style and begin to build for our Asian Cup qualification, as well as the AFF and SEA Games,” he said.
Melbourne City FC crushed Kaya FC-Iloilo 4-0 last Saturday to top Group B with its third straight win and advanced to the knockout stage of AFC Women’s Champions League at the BG Stadium in Pathum Thani, Thailand.
The Melbourne City booters were joined by Iran’s Bam Khatoon, which edged Thailand’s College of Asian Scholars 2-1 at the close of the Group B match.
The charges of Lelet Dimzon wound up third with two points while CAST was last with one point.
