With the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018 set to begin on Friday, goalkeeper Inna Palacios looks forward to the culmination of a thrilling journey that saw the Philippines Women’s National Team scaled greater heights in the past eight years.
Since joining the team in 2011, Palacios has achieved a number of milestones for the team: the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2013 qualifiers where they finished second in their group, to their historic qualification in Tajikistan last year.
“I am very honored, thankful, and blessed that I was given the opportunity to be with the team for the Women’s Asian Cup [Qualifiers] back in 2013, and finally we’re here,” said Palacios. “It has been a long journey. Qualifying [for the Women’s Asian Cup] was our goal and we made sure we claimed it last year [in Tajikistan].”
Palacios’ impressive journey is not only with the National Team. The goalkeeper also led De La Salle University to a perfect 22-win record to clinch both the UAAP Women’s Football Championship and the PFF Women’s League last year.
Having achieved so much in such a short span of time, Palacios is now relishing the chance to play in the Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018 and perhaps to help the team qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“We’re trying to make the most out of the time we can, to maximize our potential in qualifying for the Women’s World Cup in 2019,” said Palacios. “Our opponents think that we are an easy game, but we’ll give them something they will not expect.”
Photo from Mia Montayre