After seeing their 23-game winning streak snapped against the UST Golden Tigresses on Valentine’s Day, the DLSU Women’s Football Team quickly turned the heartbreak into a win as they subdued the FEU Lady Tamaraws, 1-0, yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium. Nicole Andaya scored the only goal of the match at the 49th minute mark as the Lasallians escaped with a narrow victory after the referee denied the Lady Tamaraws a penalty at the 80th minute mark.
When asked about the consistency of the officiating in the match, head coach Hans Smit simply said, “For the entire game, it went both ways. It just so happens that we were ahead. He didn’t see the handball? Lucky us.”
Similar to last season, Smit continued to employ a 4-4-2 formation but with the departure of a few players due to graduation, a makeshift in the backline was needed. After missing the previous campaign due to an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, Shannon Arthur has now returned to play for the team, not as a forward, but as a center back. “In our first game I was scared, but now, I’m getting more used to the position.”
Alongside Arthur in the middle of the defense is Nina Arrieta, who formed a partnership in the center midfield with Sara Castañeda last season. With the former moving back in defense, and the latter skipping out this season, Smit has now thrust Kyla Inquig, a forward, and rookie Bea Delos Reyes in the middle of the pitch.
Lackluster half
The first half of the game was dominated by FEU, attempting to score shot after shot but La Salle’s goalkeeper Tashka Lacson prevented them from scoring. 19 minutes past kick-off, yellow cards were given to FEU’s Jean Kadil and Kimberly Cupal and DLSU’s Mariell Tejada after a scuffle inside the field. Meanwhile, several opportunities were open for the two teams but both were not able to convert, closing the first half with no goals made.
“That’s not my team. They played better in the second half but still, that’s not my team. They’re far from what they were doing the other year,” Smit stated.
Close call
Looking to take advantage of the subpar showing of the Lasallians in the first 45 minutes, the Lady Tamaraws kickstarted the second half with a shot attempt from Bia Requerme but went out for a goal kick. The left-winger was lively the entire match as she provided solid support for their lone striker, Jovelle Sudaria.
In the following possession, the Lasallians finally broke the deadlock as they countered promptly with Andaya converting Inquig’s cross with a nicely placed header past FEU’s goalkeeper. “It was my first header ever in my entire life,” the goal scorer shared after the match. It was also her first goal this season.
Andaya’s goal seemed to energize the Green-and-White as their chances started to trickle in. Irish Navaja whipped a cross for Chelo Hodges inside the box in the 56th minute but the FEU defense carefully cleared it out for a corner kick. Arthur took the corner and the ball found Christina Montelibano, who attempted a shot outside the box but it just went over the bar.
Aside from the 80th minute penalty that was waved off by the referee, the Lady Tamaraws had two chances to equalize at the 62’ mark of the match courtesy of Sudaria and Portia Acibar. The former dribbled past the DLSU defenders inside the box and unleashed a powerful shot but the attempt only hit the post. The ball landed near Acibar after a failed clearance by the Lasallians but her follow-up outside the box flew above the goal.
Both coaches started to make substitutions towards the end of the match but it was DLSU’s team captain and starting striker Kyra Dimaandal who made the most impact. The reigning UAAP Best Striker had two chances in the last 17 minutes to finish off the match but both of her shot attempts went straight to the keeper.
The Lasallians will play their last game of the first round in Season 80 against archrivals ADMU Lady Eagles, on February 24, 3 pm, at the same venue.
“It’s just another game. All they need to do is to play their game,” Smit ended.
