Malditas aim higher in football tourney in Laos

Given its reinforced line-up, the national women’s football team raised expectations of improved performance at the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) tournament in Vientiane, Laos come October 16 to 25. “We finished sixth out of eight teams the last time we competed in this tournament in 2009, but with the players we have now, I’m optimistic we can do better this time around," coach Ernie Nierras said at Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday. Some of the Malditas, monicker of the women’s team, were with Nierras at the forum. Belai Fernando, Sam Nierras, Filipino-American Heather Cooke, and Filipino- German Kristina Kuter beamed with pride at having the privilege of competing for the Philippines. “It’s a great privilege for me to play for the country of my mom," Cooke said. Her mother is from Iloilo. “I hope that I can contribute to this team," added Cooke, who is preparing for her national team debut. She is 22, and a 5-foot-8 defender from Loyola University Maryland in the United States' NCAA Division 1. Ateneo women’s varsity squad mainstay Sam Nierras said the new Malditas roster makes her hopeful of their side’s participation in Vientiane. Kuter, who plays for Fortuna Cologne, flew in late Sunday night and joined the rest of the Malditas in practice for the first time early yesterday morning. Her mother is a native of Kabangkalan, Negros Occidental. Kuter impressed Nierras. “All I heard was ‘boom, boom, boom’ in practice before we got here," the coach said. Nierras said the Malditas are bracketed in Group B together with top seed Thailand , Myanmar and Malaysia. In Group A are Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and Laos . The Filipina booters begin their campaign in Laos on Oct. 17 against Myanmar . “If all things go according to plan, we aim to be there on Oct. 25," Nierras said. — ELR/HS, GMA News