The DLSU Green Booters gave out against the FEU Tamaraws in a shattering 4-0 feat in their Round Two UAAP Season 86 showdown earlier tonight, April 28, at the UP Diliman Football Pitch.
The Tamaraws owe two of their four-point advantages to Karl Absalon and the rest to Selwyn Mamon and Viejay Frigillano.
Armored effort
The second showdown of the season between the DLSU Green Booters and FEU Tamaraws played between bouts of highly-spirited efforts and underwhelming results that showed up in the game pronto. This combination created a stir of temper, both in the field and among the crowd of spectators. The defending champions from Morayta took possession of the ball during most of the first half and, with it, the control of the game.
Enrico Mangaoang, La Salle’s star-studded goalkeeper, stood as the Green-and-White’s main barricade from the aggressive force of the Tamaraws. Mangaoang spearheaded DLSU’s effort against FEU, which would have been up by four points only by the 17th mark. The Green Booters exerted relentless defensive efforts against their gutsy opponents, led by Captain Mo Almohjili, who ended up clashing with FEU’s Absalon; Isaac Anoh, who skied a strike at 35’; and Paolo Go, who charged through Tamaraw goalkeeper JP Fabrigas at 38’.
An FEU attempt at a goal sent the Tamaraw’s crowd to the edge of their seats, while the horde of Lasallians felt relieved after the ball only hit the post. Having received a wake-up call, Anoh put his foot forward for DLSU, but his attempt to close the first half with a lead was met with misfortune after it missed the net by a sliver.
Both teams capitalized on the six minutes of added time for the first half. Mangaoang punched out four consecutive tries by FEU, while Go and Christian Peñalosa teamed up and produced another catapulted shot. With equal drive on both sides of the field, the first half resulted in a stagnant draw of 0-all.
Energy countered
A crucial three points were at stake to boost their rank in the standings, and the Green Booters upped their ante as their constant press on the Tamaraws gave them more time to be creative on the ball. With momentum on their side, Peñalosa and Almohjili took charge, creating chances for their side to take the lead.
However, the Green Booters could not convert their chances and heard alarm bells as the Tamaraws were ready to counter. Thankfully, John Paul Bengay kept a solid presence at the back to null any threat by FEU. With a solid defense, the Lasallian attackers continued getting to the final third, and fruit bore as Carlos Lozano was able to find Go for a chance at the keeper but could not convert a point for his team.
However, at the 70’ mark, the tides of the game swung as Mangaoang was called into action once again, making crucial saves for the Green-and-White. The pressure eventually became too much for the Lasallian defense to handle as Mamon slotted in the ball from an Absalon header to give the Tamaraws the lead in the 71st-minute, 1-0. With momentum on the side of the Tamaraws, they doubled the advantage in the 80th minute as Absasalon found the net after a scramble in the DLSU box, 2-0. Just two minutes later, Mamon added to FEU’s scoreboard as he tapped in the ball after receiving a cross inside the box, 3-0.
With a three-goal deficit to catch, the Green Booters kept their heads high as Gabe Suarez was fouled inside the box to grab a penalty. But Anoh failed to convert the chance as the Green Booters’ hunt for a goal continued. To add salt to the wound, Frigillano scored FEU’s fourth goal to La Salle’s dismay, 4-0. The Green Booters still tried to find consolation as Suarez and Chyle Miraflores attempted to create a chance for Anoh to score, but tired legs got in the way for the Taft-based team until the final whistle sounded off, 4-0.
After the game, DLSU Head Coach Alvin Ocampo credited the team’s early performance but stressed that a game is not won only in the early stages: “It was a good 60 minutes, but a football game is 90 minutes. We fell short. We didn’t convert the chances, and that brought the team down… It was a good 60 minutes only.”
When asked about their Final Four bid, Coach Ocampo still had not lost hope for his team, “We had three chances to enter the Final Four, we lost to UE, that’s one. Two, yung second chance ngayon. We still have one chance against Ateneo.”
(We had three chances to enter the Final Four, we lost to UE, that’s one. Two, our second chance today. We still have one chance against Ateneo.)
Following another loss to their name, the Green Booters have a final matchup with the ADMU Blue Eagles on Thursday, May 2, at 6:30 pm at the same venue, with only a win needed to take the Green-and-White to the Final Four.
