UAAP: Lady Booters shock UP, Green Booters drop opening match

The DLSU Booters had mixed results in the opening weekend of UAAP Season 76 Football action at the FEU-Diliman football field. Angge Metillo scored a late goal off a free kick halfway through the given four minute injury time after 90 minutes of play to lift the Lady Booters over the UP Lady Maroons with a score of 2-1 last November 24.

Rivals in last year’s UAAP semifinals, the Lady Booters did not waste any time as rookie striker Kyra Dimandaal scored the team’s first goal of the season 8 minutes into the match. Dimandaal made her first UAAP collegiate goal off Cha Guanica’s missed attempt.

The Lady Booters then began to ward off several attempts by UP, but Kali Navea-Huff found the back of the net to tie the count at 1-1. The Lady Booters’ goalkeeper, Inna Palacios, was unable to control the ball and Navea-Huff made the most out of the opportunity. The sophomore Palacios was harmed in the scramble for the ball and she had to be carried off before she was replaced by Erika Turtur.

In the second half, it was a battle of guts as Turtur and UP’s Jermaine Choa Peck prevented several goal attempts until Metillo finally found the mark with her free kick in injury time. The Lady Booters’ win coupled with the goalless draw between ADMU and UST earlier in the day puts La Salle on top of the table after the first weekend of UAAP Women’s Football action, though defending champion FEU has yet to play a match.

The Green Booters, on the other hand, were not as fortunate as they suffered a 2-0 loss to the UST Growling Tigers last November 23. A quick goal by Jogi Celiz in the fourth minute of the first match of the UAAP Football season set the tone for the rest of the contest as the Green Booters played from behind.

Strikers Nathan Alquiros and Gio Diamante made several attempts throughout the match which were either denied by the crossbar or aimed a few inches off target. Playing without sophomore Gelo Diamante, who was out due to a bout with dengue fever, the Green Booters were unable to find their stride during the match. Off a counterattack late in the game, Patrick O’Neill sealed the deal for UST with a goal in the 82nd minute of the match which increased their lead to 2-0.

With the loss, the Green Booters join runner-up UP and NU at the bottom of the table after the first set of matches played while UST joins FEU and UE as the early victors. Defending champion ADMU was on bye for the opening weekend. UE pulled off a stunning 2-0 win over UP with their two goals coming in the first half, while FEU trounced NU, 2-0, with their goals coming in the opening half as well.

Up next for the Green Booters are UE, whom they will face on November 26, Tuesday, at 3 pm while the Lady Booters take on UST on November 27, Wednesday, at 3 pm as well. Both games will be played at FEU-Diliman.

Update: Palacios will be sidelined for six weeks due to her injury.