Indonesia last competed in the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship 19 years ago and the hosts are raring to go as head coach Mochizuki Satoru intends to start strong ahead of tougher challenges in the shape of Korea Republic and DPR Korea.

“The preparations have been going smoothly and with three weeks of training, I’m confident we have prepared well and we have everyone ready and in good condition,” said the Japanese.

“We know the Philippines are a strong team but in football, there are no certainties so we will be well prepared for this match.

“We have our targets and we are hopeful that the team can pass through the group stage and create history for the Indonesian women’s national team.”

Philippines head coach Sinisa Cohadzic is relying on the in-depth preparations to bear fruit for the tournament debutants after training camps in Spain as well as the Philippines.

The 49-year-old Australian is confident that the spirit and desire to succeed will serve his squad well in the opening match after ending their preparations with two friendly wins against Manila Diggers FC (3-0) and Kaya FC (1-0) respectively.

“We are very confident that we have a group of players who are ready with the best support and resources to reach our objective, that is our advantage,” Cohadzic said in an interview with OneSportsPH.

“One thing this team has is passion to play the game and that will come through in the tournament.

“They will always give their all and that is something that we can rely on and confident that we can show.