AFC Women's Asian Cup
Having both suffered defeats in each of their first two matches, victory is paramount if either hope to progress to the knockout stage via the third-place route, with the Southeast Asians currently occupying that spot courtesy of a superior goal difference.
The top two from each group and two best third-placed sides will advance to the quarter-finals.
The top two from each group and two best third-placed sides will advance to the quarter-finals.
Torcaso, who gave his team some time away from training on Friday, remained happy with their mindset and performance despite the losses to Australia and Korea Republic and believes the players are in a good headspace to do battle.
“We are obviously preparing for a really tough opponent,” he said. “We believe that Iran will provide us with really good competition, like... in their first two games. We are ready and focused to make sure that we get the outcome that we need, but we also fully respect every one of the (Iran) players that are out there, and we are looking forward to a really good match.
“We had a day off yesterday, so the girls enjoyed a little bit of relaxation... But the attitude is really good. The girls have been really happy and excited with our first two games so far, considering we did not get the results that we wanted, but we showed a very disciplined and structured setup, and we were really happy with that. We need to make sure that we get the outcome and the results we want in this next game, but the girls will be ready.”
“We are obviously preparing for a really tough opponent,” he said. “We believe that Iran will provide us with really good competition, like... in their first two games. We are ready and focused to make sure that we get the outcome that we need, but we also fully respect every one of the (Iran) players that are out there, and we are looking forward to a really good match.
“We had a day off yesterday, so the girls enjoyed a little bit of relaxation... But the attitude is really good. The girls have been really happy and excited with our first two games so far, considering we did not get the results that we wanted, but we showed a very disciplined and structured setup, and we were really happy with that. We need to make sure that we get the outcome and the results we want in this next game, but the girls will be ready.”
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His opposite number, Marziyeh Jafari, acknowledged that her side will have to rouse themselves again for another tough challenge, with Team Melli Banovan having been defeated by the Filipinas in each of their three meetings to date.
Squad depth is also a concern for the 43-year-old, who had to leave three players out of the matchday team in Thursday’s fixture against Korea Republic, but she insisted that the Central Asians will once again give their all.
“We have played two tough games, we know that our situation (here) is really different to the qualification round (as) we have to play with top teams and we do believe that Philippines is (also a) very good team,” said the 2025 AFC Coach of the Year winner, the first woman from Iran to claim the honour. “We did our best to recover; we have two or three injured players (whom) we maybe cannot use (but) we still do our best to… get them back to the competition.
"The players want to show their best performance, to be the best representatives for their country and in these tough games… to make people in Iran happy.”
Squad depth is also a concern for the 43-year-old, who had to leave three players out of the matchday team in Thursday’s fixture against Korea Republic, but she insisted that the Central Asians will once again give their all.
“We have played two tough games, we know that our situation (here) is really different to the qualification round (as) we have to play with top teams and we do believe that Philippines is (also a) very good team,” said the 2025 AFC Coach of the Year winner, the first woman from Iran to claim the honour. “We did our best to recover; we have two or three injured players (whom) we maybe cannot use (but) we still do our best to… get them back to the competition.
"The players want to show their best performance, to be the best representatives for their country and in these tough games… to make people in Iran happy.”
Defender Melika Motevalli, who has featured in all four of Iran’s matches across the 2022 and 2026 editions, added: “We are hopeful that we can win against the Philippines and we can qualify to the next round as the third team of the group.”
Qualification to the last eight could likely come down to goal difference, a scenario that Torcaso is aware of and recently experienced at the SEA Games last December where the Philippines made it out of the group stage on that tiebreaker.
Qualification to the last eight could likely come down to goal difference, a scenario that Torcaso is aware of and recently experienced at the SEA Games last December where the Philippines made it out of the group stage on that tiebreaker.
“We were really happy with the way that we prepared for that and then we got the outcome that we needed, so we will prepare very similarly,” the 44-year-old said. “Obviously, we do not know what is going to happen in the other groups (who play after us), we just have to do what we can first… We can control our ability to be determined, to go out there and win the game, and we are extremely focused to do that.
“This game here presents us with a totally different approach, because we know that we need to win. So yes, we will be set up a little bit differently, but more importantly, we will be ready to take on whatever the opposition gives us, because they are in the same position as well. We are anticipating a tough battle. I think it will be very transitional, but we are really excited to take that challenge on.”
“This game here presents us with a totally different approach, because we know that we need to win. So yes, we will be set up a little bit differently, but more importantly, we will be ready to take on whatever the opposition gives us, because they are in the same position as well. We are anticipating a tough battle. I think it will be very transitional, but we are really excited to take that challenge on.”
Trivia
● IR Iran and the Philippines will meet at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time; in fact, IR Iran will be the 19th different team that the Philippines have faced at the tournament, and they’ve won three of their last five games when facing a team for the first time (L2).
● IR Iran have lost their last four completed games at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, failing to score a goal and conceding a total of 19 across that stretch; only three teams have been goalless in more consecutive games to begin their tenure in the competition (Nepal – 9 games, Hong Kong, China – 6, Kazakhstan – 5).
● The Philippines are winless across their last four AFC Women’s Asian Cup games (D1 L3) after winning four of their previous eight and have lost their first two matches of the 2026 campaign; indeed, they’ve won at least one group stage fixture at each of their previous three appearances at the tournament (2003, 2018, 2022).
● IR Iran and the Philippines will meet at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time; in fact, IR Iran will be the 19th different team that the Philippines have faced at the tournament, and they’ve won three of their last five games when facing a team for the first time (L2).
● IR Iran have lost their last four completed games at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, failing to score a goal and conceding a total of 19 across that stretch; only three teams have been goalless in more consecutive games to begin their tenure in the competition (Nepal – 9 games, Hong Kong, China – 6, Kazakhstan – 5).
● The Philippines are winless across their last four AFC Women’s Asian Cup games (D1 L3) after winning four of their previous eight and have lost their first two matches of the 2026 campaign; indeed, they’ve won at least one group stage fixture at each of their previous three appearances at the tournament (2003, 2018, 2022).
IR Iran v Philippines
Venue: Gold Coast Stadium
Kick-off: Sunday, 19:00 (UTC +10)
Venue: Gold Coast Stadium
Kick-off: Sunday, 19:00 (UTC +10)
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