Coming off a draw in their previous game, the DLSU Green Booters claimed victory against the AdU Soaring Falcons in Round One of the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Football Tournament earlier today, October 12, at the UP Diliman Football Pitch.
John Gaverza was awarded Man of the Match, netting a goal at the 17’ mark and assisting John Sibla’s goal at the 67’ mark, while Noel Estampador slotted in the opening goal at the 13th minute.
Marking the grass
Uplifting spirits and determination filled the air at the start of the game as both teams picked up the pace and went head-to-head to snatch the first point. The Green Booters launched an early offense while simultaneously holding their ground against the Soaring Falcons’ attempt to control possession in the opening minutes. Gaverza, Adrian Aparilla, and Sebastian Fronda were in sync with a strong-handed attack, but failed to convert into a goal due to Adamson’s strong defense.
Getting the rhythm after a long play, the green shirts were able to secure the first goal of the match as Noel Estampador scored from a long-range strike that beat AdU goalkeeper Shane Salarada, 1-0. However, AdU refused to back down as Goliko Doko quickly equalized a minute later to put the match at a 1-all deadlock.
Despite the quick answer from Adamson, Lucas Aguilar sent a through-ball to set up Gaverza for a goal-scoring opportunity as the latter slotted it in the net to restore La Salle’s advantage, 2-1. With the momentum building up and the energy at an all-time high, the whistle blew for halftime, marking an end to an exciting first half as La Salle held on to a 2-1 lead.
Locked down
Going into the second half, the Green Booters carried over their 2-1 advantage with a clear narrative of dominance. The Falcons maneuvered the box in full possession, but La Salle remained keen in defending as they recovered interception crosses from the San Marcelino camp. The disrupted momentum allowed Sibla to charge forward, netting a goal and extending their lead to 3-1 at the 67th minute.
La Salle retained composure in controlling free kicks and ball possession to keep the pace within their hands. However, in the latter minutes of the outing, tension escalated, fueled by the yellow cards and bodily duels from the previous half. James Sibla’s day ended prematurely as he picked up his second yellow card in the final minutes of the match. Edcel Lauron stood firm in guarding the posts from the gritty balls of the white shirts, keeping Adamson from inching close. AdU collapsed in trailing mode as La Salle locked down the pitch to close the match at a convincing 3-1 victory.
Post-match, Coach Richard Leyble stressed that following the game plan, scouting the opponent, and making adjustments when necessary were the keys to their win. On building momentum from this dominant win, he adds, “We [will] continue training and improving. We cannot afford to relax [because the] UAAP is not [like] that.”
Looking ahead to their outing against the defending champions, Coach Leyble shared their preparation tailored for them. “FEU [is] a strong team physically, their resources and players are strong, but we are still doing our best, not just to play, but [we’re] trying to win the games.”
The Green-and-White seek to carry this momentum forward as they face defending champions FEU Tamaraws next Sunday, October 19, at the same venue.
