The DLSU Men’s Football team blanked the AdU Soaring Falcons, 2-0, earlier today at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, after two second half goals. With the victory, La Salle records its second straight win to begin its season.
Christian Zubiri, off an assist from Noel Brago, gave his team its first goal at the 72nd minute, after a goalless first half for both clubs. This was shortly followed by a second goal courtesy of Marcus Garcia just two minutes after the first.
Both teams began aggressively, as La Salle challenged Adamson’s defense early on throughout the first half, only to be contained by the stellar efforts of AdU goalkeeper Carl Viray. DLSU attempted to convert multiple scoring attempts into goals early on, however, their lackluster finishing prevented them from doing so.
Head coach Hans Peter-Smit attributes the lack of attack to his team falling short of intensity in the early stages of the match. “Our plays were there, our passes were there, but it seems that as soon as we receive the ball on top, they tend to slow down,” he mentioned.
Conversely, AdU had its fair share of opportunities at the goal, but La Salle’s defensive end prevented the Falcons from grabbing an early lead.
Following the first half, the Lasallians increased the ante on both sides of the pitch, creating more opportunities on offense while breaking down Adamson’s defense. Tension began to escalate quickly after AdU’s Ricardo Ortinez was awarded a yellow card in the 60th minute of the game.
La Salle finally gained the lead after Zubiri converted a goal from the right flank at the 72’ mark. Garcia followed up with a goal of his own two minutes after, as the midfielder scored inside the box, extending the La Salle lead to two, 2-0.
Smit was not impressed by his team’s performance albeit the dominating second half. “We were doing well in the defense and the midfield, but, especially for the starters, they just softened up, they slowed down in the attacking.”
With the ADMU Blue Eagles up next in La Salle’s schedule, the team will look for ways to improve as they face their archrivals. “We’ll play the same way we practice for,” Smit asserted. “Now what we have to do is work on this. I consider this as a bad game, knowing what the team could do.”
The DLSU Men’s Football team will try for their third straight victory when they face ADMU this Thursday, February 15, 4 pm at the same venue.
