The DLSU Lady Booters and the UST Golden Tigresses played to an intense 2-all stalemate in their opening match of Round Two of the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Football Tournament, earlier tonight, November 9, at the UP Diliman Football Pitch.
Second half substitute Arantxa Trebol and Team Captain Shai Del Campo netted in the goals for La Salle, scoring at the 63rd and 78th minute, respectively. Meanwhile, UST’s Rojana Nemenzo and Gleydile Anonuevo equalized the game at the 74’ and 83’ marks, respectively.
Slow start
With both teams determined to make a strong start to Round Two, the opening minutes of the match saw both sides engage in numerous duels across the midfield. Neither team was willing to settle down. At the 8’ mark, Maria Tanjangco created the first opening for DLSU when she was fouled just outside the penalty area. Lyka Teves stepped up to take the free kick, however, the midfielder’s shot went wide of the Thomasian net.
The following minutes saw multiple giveaways by the Lady Booters midfield as they were unable to facilitate any attacks for the Green-and-White. As a result, La Salle relied on set pieces for goal-scoring opportunities. At the 18th minute, a corner kick from DLSU reached UST’s penalty area, but no Lasallian was able to meet the cross. Del Campo tried to lead the team’s offensive charge, picking up the ball in the midfield and driving at the UST backline. Yet the white shirts remained compact and solid, leaving DLSU frustrated in their attempts to break through.
The Golden Tigresses created their first chance at the 35th minute after a giveaway from Elisha Lubiano. However, the UST attack fizzled out as DLSU goalkeeper Jessica Pido caught the resulting cross. The Lady Booters then launched a counter attack, with Del Campo picking up the ball at the halfway line and dribbling at the opposition. Despite her efforts, she was fouled outside the penalty area. Rocelle Mendaño stepped up for the set piece, but her effort smacked the crossbar of the UST goal. While La Salle continued their attempts to nab a point, time ran out as the referee blew for the halftime break, 0-all.
Nail-biting finish
With the second half underway, both teams pushed harder to break the deadlock, with DLSU pressing forward and UST holding strong defensively. In the 56th minute, Teves fired a solid shot on target, but UST Goalkeeper Lizlie Garcia was well-positioned to make a comfortable save. Moments later, La Salle’s Maegan Alforque tested Garcia with a powerful shot that went straight to her hands. Still, the goalkeeper remained solid, ending a promising run that was ultimately lost due to a misdirected pass.
The Green-and-White’s attacks finally paid off in the 63rd minute as Chenny Mae Dañoso spotted Trebol making a run into the box and delivered a perfect long pass. Trebol met it with a brilliant header, breaking the scoring drought and putting La Salle up 1-0. Just two minutes later, chaos broke near the UST goal when Del Campo managed to find an opening, sending the ball past Garcia to double DLSU’s lead. Their cheers were cut short when the referee disallowed the goal after calling a foul on Tanjangco for interfering with the goalkeeper.
Sensing a shift in momentum, UST pushed forward, attacking the disappointed Lady Booters. Anonuevo blitzed through the DLSU backline and was rewarded a corner kick for her efforts. Nemenzo capitalized on this move, soaring above DLSU’s defense to deliver a powerful header and equalize the score at 1-all. At the 77th minute, La Salle responded to the challenge, with Del Campo firing a left-footed long shot that slipped past the goalkeeper into the back of the net, allowing the Taft-based team to regain the lead at 2-1.
With less than 15 minutes on the clock, UST refused to concede as Annonuevo made another decisive move, slicing through DLSU’s backline with speed and precision before calmly slotting the ball into the net, leveling the score at 2-all. In the closing minutes, DLSU intensified their efforts, looking for a last-minute victory. At the 89th minute, they fired two shots on target, but Garcia made back-to-back saves, holding the draw. In stoppage time, Del Campo found another opening, but Garcia anticipated her shot perfectly, securing the point for UST in a 2-all finish.
Sporting a 3-2-0 record, the DLSU Lady Booters will look to return in the winning column when they take on rivals ADMU Blue Eagles on November 23 at 4 pm at the same venue.
