Already assured of a place at the Ang Liga Season 19 Division 1 knockout stages, DLSU Green Booters Team 1 still worked to take home a 1-0 victory versus their neighbors, the CSB Blazers, earlier today, October 14, at the UP Diliman Football Pitch.
Isaac Anoh was once again clinical for the DLSU Men’s Football Team, scoring the lone difference maker.
Striking early
It was a physical match from the get-go, with Anoh going down in the ninth minute after being clipped by the Benilde defense, but the referee did not blow his whistle. The center forward shook it off after the play stopped momentarily. The physicality of the game continued but Anoh nearly managed to score the breakthrough goal in the 18th minute with a cool finish after Chyle Miraflores’ ball down the right wing, but it was disallowed due to him being offside.
Benilde continued to hold possession, racking up two corner kicks, but La Salle’s prowess as a counter-attacking side allowed Anoh to tally another goal with a jaw-dropping finesse finish from the right wing, curling the ball into the top corner from outside the box at the 34′ mark, 1-0. Heading the ball over in a golden opportunity at the 38th minute, Anoh was unable to complete a hattrick and seize what was DLSU’s best chance before the halftime break.
Holding on and pushing forward
Despite already going up by two goals, the Green and White continued to throw numbers forward looking for a third goal. The CSB defense was not given a break down the left wing, with substitute Enrique Vecin’s fresh legs taking over for Miraflores to continue terrorizing the wing.
La Salle gained a golden chance after Vecin went down for a free kick about 20 yards out, but the free kick by Paolo Go’s attempt struck the wall just past the 70-minute mark.
Goalkeeper Dominic David had a near scare when his crossbar was struck but quickly retaliated by his safe hands, which he continued to exhibit throughout the match. His biggest save in the march was on a shot that resulted from a scramble in the 77th minute. Benilde continued to put the ball in David’s box, but he held down the fort until the final whistle, picking ball after ball. His heroics ended with a clean sheet to take the win, 1-0.
Following this win, Green Booters Team 1 awaits the schedule for their knockout match against the UP Fighting Maroons.
EDITOR’S NOTE: October 14, 2023
The article had previously counted Isaac Anoh’s first goal, though it was disallowed for violating the offside rule. The final score was 1-0, not 2-0. The publication apologizes for this oversight.
