Even with a burning desire for redemption following a bitter 1-0 defeat, the DLSU Green Booters shared the spoils in a gritty 0-all impasse with the UST Growling Tigers, officially logging the first stalemate of the UAAP Season 89 Men’s Football Tournament yesterday, October 25, at the UP Diliman Football Pitch.
Despite a relentless fight from both the Green-and-White and Gold shirts, whose strikes were both called off in the first half, neither squad could land the decisive blow before the final whistle sounded.
Standing out amid the chaotic defensive slugfest was DLSU Green Booter Joaquin Collo with Man of the Match honors, serving as the primary catalyst for the Taft-based squad, consistently threatening and opposing the backline and coming closest to breaking the grueling gridlock when his strike hit the woodwork in the opening half.
Erased points
Eager to bounce back from their first setback of the season against the defending champions UP Fighting Maroons, the Green Booters engaged in a frantic, high-risk opening half against the fourth seed UST Growling Tigers. The match quickly descended into a chaotic battle against the offside trap. Just minutes into the fixture, the Taft-based playmaker John Gaverza orchestrated a brilliant sequence that found James Sibla for an apparent opening goal, only for the linesman’s flag to wave it off a staggering three minutes later. UST suffered a similar fate shortly after, as a long-range strike in the 15th minute was ruled out as an offside infringement, keeping the scoreline blank despite the early offensive fireworks.
As the half wore on, the pitch transformed into a highly physical battleground, with both squads enduring back-to-back collisions while challenging for overhead balls. Undeterred by the physical toll, the Green Booters continued to press, with Collo nearly breaking the deadlock but agonizingly hitting the woodwork instead. DLSU aggressively relied on long, high-risk passes to bypass the midfield, a strategy that UST goalkeeper Mark Daig cleverly anticipated and neutralized to anchor the Growling Tigers’ disciplined defense. Despite the commendable hustle and slick midfield steals from DLSU skipper Frank Labayen and Uriel Dalapo, La Salle struggled to dictate a consistent rhythm, while Sibla had to execute a crucial tackle to halt a dangerous breakaway run by UST’s Vincenzo Solidum.
The intensity peaked in the dying minutes of the half, culminating in a dangerous head collision between Gaverza and Daig during a promising La Salle solo run. Even with four minutes of stoppage time added to the clock, neither side could find a legitimate breakthrough, forcing both squads to settle for an initial deadlock heading into the second half.
The hustle for a chance
Post-halftime, the energy at UP Diliman Football Pitch shifted as both teams vied to redeem their respective waived first-half goals. Dalapo started off the second half with fiery energy with an ambitious play from the backfield, yet his attempt misfired, failing to draw first blood. Tres Mariñas attempted to fabricate a play, but was ultimately halted by the Green Shirts in the field. Man of the Match Collo’s try at a strike was also blocked by the Growling Tigers’ consistent efforts.
At the 67’ mark, UST had their chance for an easy free goal, but DLSU’s Prince Reyes thwarted the Gold Shirts with a clutch save. The Growling Tigers struggled to find their footing with another crowd-erupting off-goal. With the playing field equally competent, the squads entered a timeout at the 71’ mark, striving to find their respective rhythms in hopes of capturing their first goal.
The dogfight ensued as UST lost an opportunity, with an attempt going straight through a laser-focused Iñigo Castro at 78’. Following suit on this triumph, Reyes made a proficient steal, momentarily giving the Green Booters a chance. However, a bad drive from Collo halted DLSU’s potential winning setup: a good assist that could have been the Green Shirts’ first goal. Ethical attempts from the Growling Tigers were actively guarded by the Lasallian defense, ceasing their chances on the scoreboard. A tight game of heavy defenses and offensive lapses kept the match from reaching a conclusion. At the 90+1’ mark, the Green Booters sought an open lane to score but misfired. After a relentless back-and-forth of possessions, the game between the Booters and Tigers settled into a scoreless deadlock, 0-all, closing off Round 1 of the UAAP Season 89 Men’s Football Tournament.
Green Booter midfielder Lucas Aguilar acknowledged that the team displayed consistent effort throughout the game of tug-of-war against the Growling Tigers, “I think going into our preparation for the second round, we just have to keep putting in the work, and doing what we do, [and] hopefully we get the top spot.”
With Round 1 concluding, the DLSU Green Booters seek to recalibrate as they aim to rise in the rankings in preparation for Round 2, with venues and dates to be announced.