The DLSU Women’s Football Team achieved a rare feat of sweeping the entire elimination round of the UAAP Season 79 Football Tournament after defeating UST, 3-1, yesterday at the Moro Lorenzo Football Field in Ateneo. UST’s Mary Indac grabbed the first goal of the game at the 21st minute but DLSU’s Kyra Dimaandal found the equalizer at the 37th minute. Nina Arrieta snatched the second goal of the game at the 50th minute mark and Chelo Hodges sealed the victory at the 80th minute mark by scoring the third goal of the game.
First half
The Lasallians started out the first 45 minutes flat as they had trouble in keeping ball possession. UST dictated the tempo of the game with its crisp passing thus giving the Thomasians the opportunity to cut through the La Salle defense. The bulk of the Golden Tigress offense came through central midfield and right wing and the Lasallians had difficulty in containing the prior’s fast-paced attacks.
DLSU goalkeeper and national team member Inna Palacios was called to action early on as she parried the ball out of her box following a shot from a UST player. DLSU answered back when Irish Navaja’s cross from the right wing connected with Nicole Andaya on the left side of the goalkeeper box. Andaya’s attempt went wide, but Navaja was able to chase the ball down near the corner to regain possession. Navaja’s effort to regain possession proved to be unsuccessful as UST controlled the ball anew.
Indac attempted a shot at the 17th minute only for her attempt to go straight at Palacios. UST finally broke the deadlock four minutes later when Indac was the first to connect with the ball after a scramble in the box following a UST free kick. She capitalized on the open space that she had and sent the ball past Palacios and into the back of the net.
At the 25th minute, another national team member, Sara Castaneda, fired a low cross and found Dimaandal inside the box. The striker attempted got off a shot attempt which went over the crossbar. A minute later, DLSU’s Regine Metillo took a free kick from distance only for multiple shot attempts to get blocked.
The team from Taft eventually found the equalizer at the 37th minute behind Dimaandal’s goal. She found the back of the net after she was brilliantly picked out by Andaya from the left wing.
Second half
During halftime, Smit spoke to the Lasallians regarding their poor performance early on, “It just so happens that in the first half there was no intensity, they did not play the way they were supposed to play. That’s not the DLSU Women’s Football Team in the first half.”
Fortunately for DLSU, at the 50th minute, it retook the lead from the team from España. After receiving a pass from Inquig, who fended off several UST defenders, Arrieta’s shot found the back of the net to give La Salle a 2-1 lead. “It was a wake-up call for me and good thing I listened,” Arrieta explained how Smit’s speech affected her play in the second half.
La Salle continued to control the game as several goal opportunities presented itself. Just 10 minutes before the final whistle, a free kick was awarded to Castaneda. DLSU was able to add on to its score as Hodges tapped in Castaneda’s free kick at the 80’ mark.
The Green-and-White concludes its elimination round campaign undefeated in eight games with a maximum of 24 points. As the women’s football tournament does not implement the Final Four format for only featuring five teams, and with La Salle sweeping the elimination round, the Green-and-White advances to the finals and will face either UST or the ADMU Lady Eagles in a single knockout game.
The championship match is set to take place on Sunday, May 7, at 6 pm at Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Despite having a long break ahead, Palacios does not appear to be worried, and said, “We’re just gonna try to keep the momentum going but we’ll not burn ourselves out. It’s important that we’ll come in the finals with the much needed energy.”
