Pino upbeat on AFC U17 stint

Philippine women’s under-17 football captain Alexa Pino is looking to lean on her meaningful stint with the seniors team as the juniors squad gears up for its maiden AFC U17 Asian Cup appearance late this week.

The 17-year-old midfielder made her debut with the Mark Torcaso coached Filipinas last month in a pair of away FIFA friendlies against South Korea.

With her fresh experience from the tougher seniors campaign, Pino is hoping to showcase the important stint when the junior booters vie for a FIFA U17 World Cup berth in Group A.

The Philippines was pitted against host squad Indonesia, 2019 runnersup North Korea and second round winners South Korea.

“Honestly, it’s a very big difference coming from the seniors [team], the speed of play is different, the way the players see the game, and the maturity. It’s a very nice environment to be in, and I think that has helped me bring things that I’ve worked on there into my game for the U17,” Pino said during their Adidas-sponsored sendoff exhibition match last weekend at the Vermosa Sports Hub in Cavite.

Alongside Pino in the U17 roster were Niña Mathelus and Aiselyn Sia, whose confidence were all just boosted coming off their first seniors campaign.

While Torcaso is playing consultant for the youth side in its campaign in Bali, Indonesia slated May 6 to 19, Filipinas co-captain and midfielder Tahnai Annis has also assumed a coaching role in the U17.

With Annis in tow, Pino is glad to have one of a kind support from her older sisters and teammates from the seniors team.

“It’s really amazing. I mean we all look up to T [Tahnai Annis], she’s someone we can go to when we need to talk to someone, when we need advice, and I think that’s a resource that a lot of people don’t have, so it’s nice that we have that,” she said.

The Filipinas U17 held its Manila camp with back-to-back friendlies against Ang Liga U17 All-star and seniors club Manila Digger FC which they both defeated in convincing fashion just a day before flying out to Indonesia.

“I thought it was very intense from both teams that we played against. I think our girls brought a lot in the field. We work very well as a team," she said.