The DLSU Lady Booters suffered their first defeat of the UAAP Season 86 Women’s Football Tournament as they conceded to the defending champions FEU Lady Tamaraws, 3-2, earlier tonight, March 16, at the UP Diliman Football Pitch.
Lyka Teves and Anicka Castañeda got on the scoresheet for the Lady Booters in an effort to dehorn the Lady Tamaraws, but they were canceled out by Dionesa Tolentin, Kat Magbitang, and Tiffany Trinidad, who scored one goal each.
Tensions rising
The first half started off strong, with players from each team running it down the others, trying to get into position to create a play. By the 22nd minute of the match, a corner kick by Samantha Toledo made a hit toward Teves’ back that made its way to the goal of FEU to grant Teves and the Lady Booters their first goal of the game, 1-0. After this statement goal, the tensions and passion to win rose from both ends of the field.
Wanting to equalize, the FEU Lady Tamaraws pushed their aggression, gaining a red card to Jamiy Fontanillas at the 35th minute mark when she beat Shai Del Campo, who was running with the ball from a through pass from Teves toward the goal. The DLSU Lady Booters leveled with them, gaining a yellow card to Teves at the 38th minute mark. But eventually, with skill, FEU’s Tolentin scored a left-footed goal at the 40th minute mark, ending the first half, 45’+3’, 1-all.
Losing grip
DLSU and FEU traded blows coming out of the break, with Teves and Tolentin getting chances to grab their sides the lead. Afterward, the Lady Tamaraws had a long spell on the ball and looked like they were about to take the lead with the chances they were creating. But, it was the Lady Booters who took their chance as Rocelle Mendaño launched a long ball to Teves, who then passed it to Castañeda for a chip over the goalkeeper to give the Green-and-White the lead in the 61st minute, 2-1.
The Lady Booters’ confidence grew after Castañeda’s goal as they showed increased aggression in pressing the Lady Tamaraws and took care of their passes in building up play. However, the Lasallians were caught out by Tolentin’s early cross to Magbitang, who equalized for the Lady Tamaraws in the 69th minute from a counterattack, 2-all.
The Taft-based squad kept their heads high and sought for an emphatic win against the defending champions. They tried their luck with their set-pieces but were unable to hit the target and through Castañeda, who was looming over the FEU defenders as she was waiting to pry and pounce on the long passes of her teammates. Despite the Lady Booters’ best efforts, it was the Lady Tamaraws who took the lead in the 88th minute as Trinidad slotted in the rebound of her previous shot that hit the bar, 3-2. The Lasallians tried to find a way to salvage a point from the game as Del Campo and Michaela Maligalig tried a give and go inside the box but were caught by the keeper. This proved to be the Lady Booters’ last shot at an equalizer before the final whistle blew in advantage of the Lady Tamaraws, 3-2.
Following this loss, the DLSU Lady Booters lose their flawless record and finish Round One at second place in the standings of the UAAP Season 86 Women’s Football Tournament, awaiting their fate in Round Two.
