The DLSU Green Booters delivered a formidable victory against the AdU Soaring Falcons, 4-2, in their UAAP Season 87 Men’s Football Tournament matchup earlier tonight, October 17, at the UP Diliman Football Pitch.
Enrique Vecin and Vin Dela Cruz placed the Green Booters ahead in the second half. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Tarin extended La Salle’s advantage with two consecutive goals, sealing DLSU’s clear victory.
Falcons’ first strike
Prior to the DLSU Green Booters’ defeat to the FEU Tamaraws, the Green-and-White were eager to secure victory as they attempted to fend off the Soaring Falcons’ opening aggression. Just three minutes into the match, the Falcons pushed into La Salle’s penalty area, pressuring the Green Booters’ defense. Team Captain Enrico Mangaoang blocked the Falcons’ vigorous effort to secure a goal. In the Green Booters’ urgent demand for an opportunity, Frank Labayen and Adam Abela played safe, juggling quick passes to keep Adamson at bay.
With Mangaoang serving as the core of La Salle’s defense, Adamson’s scuffle for dominance prevented La Salle from holding their own. Adrian Bacolod managed to cross the ball towards the Falcons’ goal, but was immediately denied by Shane Salarda. As the game progressed, the Green Booters were forced to recline in keeping the ball away after Carl Mahinay’s long-range attempt struck the crossbar.
The Taft-based squad leveraged on an opportunity towards the free kick in the 20th minute, however possession was reclaimed by Adamson. Labayen defended the Green-and-White’s box, driving away Mahinay’s scoring attempt. However, in the 24th minute, Mahinay graciously received a pass inside La Salle’s territory, delivering a powerful kick that placed Adamson in the lead, 1-0.
As the Soaring Falcons picked up momentum, the Green-and-White midfielders managed to regain dominance around the 37th minute, imminently causing Adamson to press La Salle. Despite Paolo Go and Luis Henares’ gritty endeavor to disrupt Lee Christian Hayahay’s clearing kick on four minutes of additional time, the AdU Soaring Falcons maintained control on creating scoring opportunities, keeping the Green Booters scoreless as they headed into halftime trailing by a goal, 1-0.
The substitutes deliver
The Lasallians started the second half determined to find a quick equalizer. A big chance from a corner kick fell to Robby Cruel in the 50th minute, however, he was unable to divert his header towards goal. Nevertheless, the Green Booters were relentless in their pursuit of an equalizer. At the 54’ mark, attacker Vecin received the ball with space and unleashed a fierce long shot that found the bottom corner to tie the game, 1-all. With renewed energy, DLSU began their search for the go-ahead goal, building fluid attacks and pressing Adamson aggressively.
La Salle’s second-half surge caught the Soaring Falcons off guard as the boys in green began to dominate proceedings in the midfield. In the 69th minute, Head Coach Alvin Ocampo was forced to substitute Vecin out due to injury. However, just one minute later, Adamson Goalkeeper Salarda dropped the ball in front of an empty net, which was capitalized on by substitute Dela Cruz, giving La Salle the lead, 2-1. DLSU, now in a commanding position, bravely searched for another goal in an attempt to double the gap against Adamson.
Alonso Aguilar of La Salle aggressively attacked through the wing in the 75th minute before finding substitute Tarin who tapped the ball into an empty net to extend La Salle’s lead, 3-1. Adamson, in an attempt to salvage the fixture, began to send more players forward with the hope of grabbing back a goal. In the 85th minute, an Adamson set piece troubled the DLSU defense line before the ball eventually dropped to Adamson captain, Dexter Casing, who struck a powerful volley into the La Salle goal, cutting the lead to just one, 3-2.
Adamson, with time rapidly running out, began to send most of their forward players toward the DLSU goal. However, this came to their downfall when La Salle launched a quick counterattack at the 90+1’ mark. The Adamson backline failed to make any substantial block, allowing Tarin to get his second goal of the match, boosting DLSU to a larger lead right before the final whistle, nullifying Adamson’s late second-half charge, 4-2.
Following this gritty victory, the Green Booters’ record now stands at 2-1-2, boosting the team in their quest for a Final Four spot. They will be looking to show their strength once again in their final match in Round One of the Men’s Football Tournament when they take on the defending champions, UP Fighting Maroons, next Thursday, October 24, at 4 pm at the same venue.
