Maz Pacheco will be a valuable piece for the Filipinas in the future. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The much-anticipated debut of Maz Pacheco for the Philippine women’s football team will have to wait a bit longer after she was scratched in the match against Jordan on late Saturday in the Pink Ladies Cup in Turkiye.

Coach Mark Torcaso bared that the Aston Villa defender is still in the process of securing her Philippine passport before she can suit up for the Filipinas there and in future competitions.

Pacheco, however, is with the team for the pocket tournament in Antalya and is very much involved and happy at the Philippine camp.

“Maz’s passport is still in the process [of being acquired], but she’s committed to us and she’s excellent,” Torcaso said. “She’s [also] really excited and impressed with what we’ve been able to do.”

The inclusion of Pacheco to the Turkiye camp has been met with a lot of excitement given her resume of playing defender for Villa in the Women’s Super League, England’s top-tier domestic women’s league.

The first time that the team got wind of Pacheco was when she sent feelers about her interest to play for the Philippines as early as last year, even traveling to New Zealand to watch the Filipinas compete in the Fifa Women’s World Cup.

“Maz provides our group with professionalism, experience and excitement. After talking to Maz she [was] very excited to come into camp and get into training,” said the Filipinas’ Aussie mentor.

The Filipinas have other new faces that could play in the match being held at press time, including Janae de Fazio of the NWSL’s Kansas City Current.

The Filipinas, who also have Sarina Bolden, Hali Long, Olivia McDaniel and Sara Eggesvik, are also slated to play Kenya on Wednesday to conclude the campaign. INQ

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