Anna Filbey & Elise Hughes (Wales)
Midfielder Filbey and forward Hughes were part of the Wales squad who broke down a stubborn Philippines side to win their 2023 Pinatar Cup opener 1-0 last Wednesday (15th February).
Kayleigh Green’s winning penalty kick for Wales arrived in first-half injury time, with manager Gemma Grainger later introducing Hughes from the bench for the closing five minutes – the Palace forward’s 12th cap for her country.
Both Palace players were then unused substitutes in a 0-0 draw with tournament favourites Iceland on Saturday (February 18th), a result which kept them in contention to win the competition.
Yet a 1-1 draw with Scotland in their final match on Tuesday (21st February) – in which both Filbey and Hughes did not come off the bench, but Palace's Chloe Arthur did (see below) – allowed Iceland to claim the crown with a 5-0 win over Philippines.
Chloe Arthur (Scotland)
Having been an unused substitute in Scotland's opening game of the same competition – a 2-0 defeat to Iceland – Palace's Arthur helped her side to a 2-1 win over Philippines on Saturday.
The experienced midfielder made her 33rd senior appearance for her country as a 73rd-minute substitute for her side, helping them to see out an important victory.
Philippines were mounting late pressure after goals for Scotland either side of half-time, but the tough-tackling presence of Arthur helped see out the win despite an injury-time consolation for the opposition.
It was to prove a similar story for Arthur in Scotland's final game – the aforementioned 1-1 draw with Wales – as she played the final 12 minutes and helped her side hold out in the face of more late pressure, finishing third on four points.
