The DLSU Lady Booters opened Round 2 of the UAAP Season 89 Women’s Football Tournament with a 1-all draw against the UST Golden Tigresses earlier today, October 14, at the UP Diliman Football Pitch.
After a tightly-contested first half, the Green-and-White broke the deadlock in the 59th minute, with Maegan Alforque converting a penalty kick to give La Salle the lead. However, the Golden Tigresses responded in the 67th minute, as Princess Amilhamja found the equalizer to level the match at 1-all.
Deadlocked at the break
Kicking off Round 2, Bernadeth Florano got the start over Steph Goñe at right back. The Lady Booters and Golden Tigresses opened the match trading attacks, matching each other’s aggression and high pressure. La Salle threatened early in the second minute, with Banzon connecting with Chenny Dañoso for a close-range attempt, only for UST goalkeeper Lizlie Garcia to deny the shot. In the fourth minute, Banzon found Maria Tanjangco down the left flank, but Alliyah Basman shut down the attack. Tanjangco continued to press three minutes later, spearheading a two-on-three push that ended with a missed shot from the left. The Green Booters persisted with their wing attacks, as Ushin Valencia linked up with Alforque on the right before Lara Amante raced toward the middle, but misfired on the strike.
From the 10th to the 20th minute, possessions swung back and forth, with neither side capitalizing on its offensive momentum amid stifling defense. In the 23rd minute, Elisha Lubiano surged down the left wing and found Banzon in the middle, but the Yellow-and-Black defense held firm. Golden Tigress Rojana Nemenzo nearly broke the deadlock in the 35th minute with an attempt inside the box, only for La Salle’s Jessica Pido to halt the attempt. Nemenzo then found another opening in the 40th minute, but the play was ruled offside. Despite four minutes of added time, neither squad found the breakthrough, sending the teams into the halftime break locked at 0-all. The Green Booters recorded four shots, including one on target, matching UST’s single shot on target from one attempt.
Fleeting advantage
Desperate to break a scoreless halftime deadlock, the Lady Booters immediately pinned the Golden Tigresses deep into their own territory. La Salle relentlessly pushed the tempo, suffocating the defense with deep throw-ins and a barrage of corner kicks. This aggressive territorial control finally paid dividends in the 56th minute, when a swift counterattack initiated by Valencia led to a crucial penalty for Alforque, who calmly slotted it into the bottom-left corner for a 1-0 lead.
However, the celebration was short-lived. Following a 64th-minute entanglement that hobbled defensive anchor Lubiano, a sudden cross from the UST offense found Amilhamja, who slipped past the backline to the net to equalize the game, 1-1. Unshaken by the costly breakdown, the Green-and-White quickly launched several counterattacks. Khey Balateria subbed in for the hobbled Lubiano, reinforcing the defense to restore order for the defense for the Lady Booters.
The match turned into a battle of attrition. Banzon and Dañoso commanded the midfield, orchestrating late-game surges and forcing crucial set pieces within the UST territory. Despite several prime scoring opportunities generated and maintaining a vice grip on possessions, La Salle could not find the goal for the win. As multiple injury stoppages to both teams crept in, the frantic final stretch fizzled out to a draw, leaving the Taft-based squad to settle for an 1-all draw to open the second round.
Following their opening match draw, the DLSU Lady Booters look to secure their first Round 2 victory against the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Saturday, October 17, at the same venue.