Philippines Manager Unfazed by History-Making World Cup Goal
By Jo Tweedy
Published: 12:33 BST, 25 July 2023
There are stoic individuals, and then there is the Philippines women’s football manager. Despite his team’s monumental achievement of scoring their first-ever World Cup goal against hosts New Zealand, Manager Alen Stajcic seemed unimpressed.
Sarina Bolden’s historic header in the 24th minute of the match in Wellington sent the crowd into a frenzy. The beaming scorer rushed to celebrate with her teammates, while Stajcic maintained a poker-faced expression. His normally stern demeanor almost looked like a snarl. It’s hard to imagine what his reaction would have been if they had lost!
Bolden’s goal not only marked the first time the Philippines national squad, men or women, had ever scored in a World Cup, but it also secured their victory against New Zealand. In the press conference after the match, Stajcic admitted that this moment was a defining one in his career. He said, “How can you top beating a host nation at a World Cup? It’s number one.”
Finally, as the final whistle blew, a smile briefly emerged from the coach as he acknowledged the cheering fans with a clenched fist. Bolden’s goal will forever be etched in history as the first scored by the Philippines in a men’s or women’s World Cup. In the post-match press conference, Stajcic, who previously managed the Australian team, co-hosting the tournament, emphasized the magnitude of the Philippines’ historic victory. He remarked that it was “one of the biggest wins in the history of sport in the country.”
Reflecting on the emotional atmosphere during the match, Stajcic mentioned, “It was very emotional out on the pitch, seeing just about everyone crying. It’s unbelievable. When you hear stories of other teams needing so long to win World Cup matches… We have done it in our second match in our first World Cup. Got there in the end!”
With this shocking win, the World Cup debutants kept their hopes of reaching the Round of 16 alive, while New Zealand faces an uphill battle to qualify. Despite briefly tasting defeat, the Kiwis celebrated prematurely as VAR ruled out their equalizing goal in the build-up due to offside.
In conclusion, the Philippines manager’s stoicism contrasted with his team’s historic achievement, creating a memorable moment in the ongoing Women’s World Cup.
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