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UAAP: Green Booters concede early lead, falter against ADMU Blue Eagles, 3-1

The DLSU Green Booters were unable to snap their second round losing streak as they succumbed to the ADMU Blue Eagles, 3-1, earlier today at the FEU-Fern Diliman Football Pitch. In the losing effort, Mauro Acot scored an early goal, but the squad later conceded two goals in the first half and a third goal late in the second half.

For head coach Alvin Ocampo, the team had to play better from ahead. “Kung mauuna kami mag-score, we have to control the game. Hindi yung kami na nag-score, kami pa yung na-pre-pressure.

(If we score first, we have to control the game. We should not play like we are the pressured team even after we have scored.)



Early lead

The Taft-based squad got off to a quick start with good passing accuracy in the upper half of the pitch. Acot broke the deadlock at the 10 minute mark, finding the back of the net with a high-arcing ball. After sprinting solo through the midfield, his strong kick from outside the box netted the Green-and-White the early lead.

The Blue Eagles found their equalizer just seven minutes later. A Jarvey Gayoso finish from the left side sent the ball past goalkeeper Gab Villacin and into to the top right corner of the net.

The two sides traded attempts, with the opposing goalkeeper AJ Arcilla saving two of the Green Booters’ headers in quick succession in the 25th and 26th minute of the match.

The Katipunan-based squad found their second goal in the 41st minute of the match. Rupert Baña slipped the ball through the defense just in front of the net and allowed the Blue Eagles to hold a slim lead by the end of the first half, 2-1.



Pressing forward

The second half saw the Green Booters press for an equalizer, with Alfonso Montelibano coming onto the pitch at the 62nd minute of the match in place of Mateo Alegre. However, his playing time was cut short as he was called out for two fouls and was forced to exit the field in the 70th minute.

Rookies Shanden Vergara and Mikio Umilin both had their share of close attempts. At the 66’ mark, Vergara curled a free kick towards the lower left corner of the net, but the opposing keeper dove to preserve the Blue Eagles’ lead. A Vergara volley from the right side was tapped out in the 75th minute of the match, and Umilin was just seconds too late to capitalize on the loose ball.



“Defensive lapses” were the folly of the squad, according to Ocampo, as the Blue Eagles’ final goal came off a quick counter-attack. Gayoso completed his brace with another low ball through DLSU’s defensive formation in the 83rd minute of the game. Though the players pressed on in the dying minutes of the match, the Green Booters were unable to mount a comeback.

Now holding a 4-1-5 record, the Taft-based squad sits at fourth in the standings, tied with the UP Fighting Maroons by points. Although, DLSU holds an inferior goal difference. Team captain Jed Diamante shared the team’s mentality will be less about “looking at the table” and instead will focus on “each game in the tournament”.

The team will look to rediscover their winning ways as they play the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Sunday, April 7, at 9 am at the same venue.

Erinne Ong

By Erinne Ong

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