Coming off a setback against the FEU Tamaraws when they concluded Round One, the DLSU Lady Booters faltered against rivals ADMU Blue Eagles, 1-0, in the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Football Tournament earlier today, October 25, at the UP Diliman Football Pitch.
Ateneo forward Celina Salazar delivered the decisive volley from inside the box to score the lone goal of the game in the 27th minute.
On the back foot
With a spot in the Finals still in play for both squads, both teams came out with aggression, albeit with contrasting game plans. The Lady Booters, implementing a high pressing strategy, had the majority of possession for most of the first half. Meanwhile, the Blue Eagles sat back, frustrating any clear-cut chances from materializing.
Ateneo relied on a solid defensive shape and the combination of forwards Jada Bicierro and Salazar in transition throughout the opening half. The strategy paid off in the 27th minute when Bicierro drove down the baseline and cut the ball back to Salazar for a first-time finish, giving the Katipunan-based squad a 1-0 advantage.
The Green-and-White continued to control possession with the majority of the play that occurred in Ateneo’s half. However, big chances continued to elude them as the Blue Eagles remained compact at the back.
The Lasallians were able to register five shots on target—courtesy of Chenny Dañoso, Mari Layacan, and Dani Tanjangco—but were unable to create any real threats as these were easily dealt with by Ateneo goalie Chelssy Casals as the Lady Booters went into halftime down 1-0.
Game of catch-up
Immediately picking up where they left off, the second half struck with bursts of intense physicality. La Salle continued to fall to Ateneo’s dominant defense even with a variety of set pieces and individual attacks. Following the trail set by Salazar and Bicierro, long passes cut through DLSU’s deterrence, but the attackers failed to convert anyway.
Come the 66th minute, the Green-and-White unleashed an onslaught of attempts for an equalizer led by Dañoso and Jodi Banzon, but the Katipunan-based squad stuck to their strategy—relying on their stonewall defense for counterattacks spearheaded by Bicierro that deflected the Lasallians’ chances. Regardless, the Lady Booters’ ferocity seeped into their defense to give straight answers to Atenean attacks. Tensions flared at the 72’ mark as a determined Stephanie Goñe went down with an injury in an attempt to halt the Ateneo offense.
Even without their captain, DLSU continued to send a barrage of forays—emphasized by Maegan Alforque’s finesse on the pitch—to create chances for the Lady Booters. Despite this, the Blue Eagles remained steadfast in hounding forwards that attempted to penetrate the box, turning the Green-and-White’s glimmer of hope into frustration, and pinning the match at a 1-nil scoreline.
Dealt with back-to-back losses, the Lady Booters look to regain their form after the holidays when they lace up for a rematch against the defending champions FEU Lady Tamaraws on Wednesday, November 5, at the same venue.
