UAAP Football Finals: Lady Booters bows down in Game One

The DLSU Lady Booters lost against the FEU Lady Tamaraw Booters, 0-5, in the first game of the best-of-three series of the UAAP Women’s Football Finals yesterday at the Moro Lorenzo Football Field at Ateneo de Manila University.

DLSU’s defense collapsed in the second minute of the match as FEU’s Loreta Ladero launched a volley straight into the back of the net to hand the Green-and-Gold a premature lead.

The ladies from FEU doubled their lead five minutes after when Barbie Sobredo passed Ampil to put the FEU forward and DLSU Goalkeeper Inna Palacios in a one-on-one situation. Sobredo managed to slot the ball past the goalie.

The Lady Tamaraws remained ruthless despite securing a comfortable, 2-0, lead. After conceding two early goals, Palacios kept the Lady Booters in the game by stopping four dangerous FEU attempts within the first half.

During the 67^th minute mark, the Lady Booters glimpsed a narrow sight of a comeback. Lady Booters Striker Chermaine Guancia managed to penetrate the sturdy FEU defense to kick the ball inside FEU’s goal. The goal, however, was disallowed after the referee gave Guancia a foul. A few minutes later, Lady Booter Monica Henson had an opportunity to put one back for La Salle, but FEU’s Mae Sullano appeared to have fouled Henson when she obstructed the Lasallian’s path to the ball. In that instance, the officials saw no infringements.

Coach Hans Smit explained,“It’s part of the game. It happens. The referees will call it the way they see it.”

In the 71^st minute, La Salle saw its last decent attempt to make a goal as Guancia’s shot, which initially landed on the FEU goalkeeper’s gloves before dropping back to the grass and came crawling towards the goal. Sullano, however, managed to prevent the ball from going past the goal line.

Jessa Sumagpao then slammed the comeback door on La Salle by racking up FEU’s third in the 83^rd minute. The Lady Tamaraws did not stop there as Ladero and Sobredo took advantage of the Lady Booters’ hapless defense to double their respective goal hauls that capped off the Morayta team’s triumph.

“They’ll learn their lesson from this,” Smit uttered.

With the loss of the Lady Booters, last year’s bridesmaid squad will have to defeat the Lady Tamaraw Booters twice if they are to avoid a repetition of last year’s finish.

Game Two of the Women’s Football Finals will be held at the Moro Lorenzo Football Field this Sunday, February 24.