Malditas gain in FIFA ranking

MANILA, Philippines — Amid pandemic, the Philippine women’s national football team sustained improvement in FIFA ranking, gaining two rungs up to 65th.

The Filipinas achieved the milestone after raking in 1,369 points.

And with that, the Phl lady booters, known as the Malditas, also improved from 13th to 11th in the Asia/Oceania region.

With 2,192 points, reigning FIFA Women’s World Cup champion USA kept the No. 1 spot with Germany, France, Netherlands, and Sweden completing the Top Five.

England is at sixth place with Brazil and Canada sharing the No. 8 spot.

Australia (seventh) and defending Asian Cup queen Japan (10th) lead the Asia/Oceania region while SEA Games titlist Vietnam (34th) maintains pole position in the zone.

Before the pandemic, the Malditas copped a pair of semifinal finishes in the AFF Women’s Championship in Thailand and the Southeast Asian Games held here last year.

The AFF Women’s Championship was also set in the Philippines before its postponement along with other ASEAN Football Federation events due to the deadly virus.