Just over a 12 months in the past, Camille Rodriguez was in India, with the Philippines girls’s nationwide workforce for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. The event turned a landmark second for the aspect because it secured a semifinal spot, thus guaranteeing its first-ever qualification for the Women’s World Cup, set to be held in Australia and New Zealand from July.
Now, Rodriguez is again in India to play within the Indian Women’s League (IWL) occurring in Ahmedabad, representing Lord’s FA (LFA). After flying in from Manilla only a day earlier than her aspect’s opening sport on April 27, Rodriguez scored a second-half hat-trick to assist her aspect to a 4-0 win over Celtic Queens to announce her arrival.
LFA, which shaped its girls’s workforce solely in 2020, triggered a giant upset when it pipped two-time reigning IWL champion Gokulam Kerala within the 2021-22 Kerala Women’s League (KWL) with a 5-2 win within the closing. The home title meant it certified for the IWL on its first try.
An enormous a part of the Kochi-based aspect’s profitable KWL marketing campaign was the inventive spark offered by Indian worldwide Indumathi Kathiresan, who was snapped up by Gokulam forward of the IWL. This switch despatched LFA right into a hurried lookout for a midfielder to carry the aspect collectively, going into its first-ever nationwide event.
LFA’s search was aided by a soccer company named Wingman Sports which related it to Rodriguez nearly a month in the past. With her stint with Spanish aspect Mislata FC nearing its finish, she struck a take care of Lord’s FA, resulting in her arrival on the IWL.
Having joined the workforce barely 24 hours earlier than the opening sport, LFA supervisor Nirvan Shah opted to make use of Rodriguez from the bench in opposition to Celtic Queens.
“I didn’t even have a training session with my teammates. So, that [sitting out the first half] helped me understand how my team plays and how the opposition was set up. I also needed some time to adjust to the climate here,” stated Rodriguez
Rodriguez receives the ‘Hero of the Match’ award after the match between Lord’s FA and Celtic Queens, the place she scored a hat-trick.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The 28-year-old isn’t famend for her goalscoring prowess, as she normally performs within the central midfield. But on Thursday, she was deployed as an attacking midfielder, which gave her the licence to discover the attacking third in a free-roaming place.
With her IWL debut being an early kick-off – solely night video games can be found for reside streaming – Rodriguez provided an outline of her hat-trick on IWL debut.
“The first goal was a left-footed shot from the edge of the box. The second was from a rebound, and the third came in the last minute of the game with a low shot to the bottom left corner,” Rodriguez stated.
“My family badly wanted to watch my debut. Sadly, there was no live stream, as ours was a morning game. I am hoping to play more evening games [which will be streamed on AIFF’s YouTube channel] so that they all can see me play here.”
Hailing from a household, which loves soccer, for Rodriguez, taking on the game critically, was solely a matter of time.
“My dad used to play professionally, and he is my biggest inspiration. A few of my cousins too, play in the Philippines leagues. But I did try my hand at other sports before landing on football. I made my decision after I saw my brother come home with a football medal.”
“I have represented my country in various age groups since I was 14 and made my senior debut when I was 16. To qualify for World Cup, coincidentally, here in India, is a huge honour and pride, considering that no Philippines side [men or women] has ever achieved it.
At the World Cup, we expect ourselves to be one of the most prepared sides. Our team management has helped us by taking us to different parts of the world, helping us learn. The World Cup will help us gain another layer of experience,” she added.
Though she was a daily starter for her nationwide aspect coming into the 2022 Asian Cup, Rodriguez was resigned to a bench position within the event.
“I am a competitive player. I always want to start games and contribute. It was a little difficult to adjust to the [bench] role. But in the end, it is about respecting the coach’s decision, understanding what is good for the side and bringing glory to the country.”
Before the 2022 Asian Cup, the Philippines had by no means made it out of the group stage within the competitors. But it gained new floor, by coming into the semifinal of the competitors and qualifying for the World Cup. From what she has seen with Indian girls’s soccer, Rodriguez feels comparable success awaits the Indian workforce.
“Though it is early days, I can say that the standard of competition [in IWL] is impressive. Just like in the Philippines, the Indian women’s football team is better placed to reach a World Cup than the men’s side. And I think it will happen soon enough,” stated Rodriguez.
LFA is scheduled to face Sethu FC on April 30 and also will should go up in opposition to Odisha FC – which has all-time Indian prime scorer Bala Devi in its ranks – later within the competitors.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com