The DLSU Green Booters bowed down to the UST Growling Tigers in a tough Round Two opening encounter, 1-0, of the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Football Tournament earlier today, October 26, at the UP Diliman Football Pitch.
Behind the onslaught was UST forward Rodrigo Mariñas who scored the decisive lone goal in the 64th minute of the match.
Green Booters, Tigers deadlocked
As the first half started, it was a display of both cautious and aggressive battle. It was clear as the game started that the emphasis was clearly aimed at securing the back line; both teams’ defenses successfully neutralized and toned down the opposition’s forward and offensive play. Captains Frank Labayen and Kyler Escobar both lead their teams in marking the key players of the teams, resulting in limited chances to surge and score a goal.
The Green-and-White held their pride in their defense, led by Labayen and rookie Bacchus Ekberg, containing the Growling Tigers’ dangerous offense. With a mix of discipline and hustle, any threats and attempts posed by the offensive line of UST were anticipated, and any shots that were taken were launched back and caught by Edcel Lauron. La Salle’s collective defensive effort ensured that UST’s offense could not break away and find the first goal of the match before they did.
On the offensive end, the Green Booters initiated their eminent, relentless aggression, creating moments of close calls for a goal. John Gaverza’s control in the midfield, linking seamlessly with James Sibla and Lucas Aguilar in the forward positions, anchored DLSU’s attacking line. Yet their efforts were repeatedly denied by an equally determined defensive line and persistent shot-stopping of UST goalkeeper Mark Daig. Despite Sibla and Aguilar carving out looks of scoring the first goal of the match, their shots were thwarted by the opposition. Ultimately, the quality of both defense and offense in the final moments of the first half eluded both teams, concluding in a 0-all draw at halftime.
Fueled by hunger
The second half resumed with both teams treading in uncertain trajectory, feeding their pitch maneuvering with hunger to score a breakthrough. Rodrigo Mariñas of the Growling Tigers stomped eagerly after pulling an early trigger, while Aguilar wrestled to find a clear pass for the Green Booters.
In the early minutes, only promising attempts from Escobar and denials from Labayen echoed the grass. No clear momentum favored both sides as the Taft-based squad was able to clear their lines and play a clean backline. Yet the tension—fueled by hunger to score the first strike—came into play as indomitable JP Selarde clashed with the Lasallians. However, Aguilar was relentless in rediscovering form and regaining composure despite stumbling in an attempt to score. Still, neither side possessed a lead.
The once blurry trajectory between each camp grew clearer as Jan Baito orchestrated a more cohesive game plan. However, Prince Reyes worked to dismantle the rhythm set by La Salle, eager to reclaim control of the match’s tempo. The sequence played like a replay with UST’s gritty setups and opening rallies met just as quickly by the Lasallian rearguard’s defensive resolve.
In the 64th minute, Lauron positioned himself to collect a well-placed delivery from Baito’s trigger pass, but Mariñas refused to give in after tracking on the mishandled save and drawing first blood for the Growling Tigers. Now in the hunt to end the trailing game, Aguilar—DLSU’s leading scorer—rallied for a response with an upright, only to be denied as the match stood 1-0 with UST in control.
By the 70th minute, La Salle hardly looked out of contention as cross passes found their way into the box as Ekberg and Silba orchestrated set pieces from the flanks. But as bodies surrounded the penalty area, it was quite a challenge cleaning up the chaos to push for finishing touches. As the final seven minutes unfolded, play was briefly halted for injury pauses with UST’s CJ Songalia, Chris Valderama, and Selarde who were all called to the sideline. The Green Booters struggled to capitalize, as Daig stepped up to fill the absence and hunt down the post.
In one last flicker of hope to equalize, Reyes threw his body on the grass while Lauron sought redemption after blocking three straight attempts from the Kent Dela Peña play to keep DLSU’s net safe. Down to ten charges, the España-based camp’s hunger for possession raged Daig to once again deny Aguilar’s late salvage setup to Torres and handed the Taft-based squad a hard-chewed 1-0 defeat.
The Green-and-White now shift their focus to reassessing mishaps as they eye redemption in their Round Two outing against the AdU Soaring Falcons on November 6, at the same pitch.
