In Philippine sports, the name ‘Aldeguer’ is legendary, thanks to Dino Aldeguer’s Hail Mary three with just 5.1 seconds left that forced overtime and set De La Salle University on its way to winning the UAAP Season 62 men’s basketball crown.
It turns out, however, that the Aldeguer name has a deeper legacy in Philippine sports — one that involves two goals in the Asian Games scored 58 years apart.
As Andres Aldeguer readied himself to take the penalty and convert the winning goal against Kuwait last Tuesday, with the score tied at 1-1 at the CS Asset Minato Soccer Stadium, little did he know that an ancestor had already pulled off the same feat decades earlier: George Aldeguer.
“It’s an incredible feeling to know that my family has someone who made history for Philippine football,” said the former De La Salle Zobel standout. “I actually didn’t know about George until the coaches approached me after the game and told me about the connection. I checked my phone and spoke with my family to verify it, and found out that he was my father’s father’s cousin — my great-grandfather’s nephew.
“My family told me that George was very close to them. Interestingly, he was also the only football player in the family, while everyone else was more into basketball. So in a way, I guess football has always been part of our family, even if it wasn’t necessarily the main sport,” he added.
“To find out that he scored the winning goal against Japan in 1958, and then to be part of a Philippine team that made history in the Asian Games decades later, makes the connection feel even more special. It’s something I’m very proud of, and definitely something I’ll carry with me moving forward.”
Entering its final Asian Games group-stage match against Kuwait on the back of two defeats, the Philippines knew it had one last chance to secure a victory in the 20th Asian Games.
Garrath McPherson’s side started well, taking the lead when Santi Rublico scored from close range off Michael Baldisimo’s cross in the 18th minute. However, Scott Woods’ accidental own goal in the 65th minute leveled the contest and appeared to deny the Philippines a memorable victory.
Fate had other plans, though. Jax Peña’s drive and clever footwork earned the Philippines a penalty in the 89th minute.
Up stepped Aldeguer, who recalled Dino’s overtime-forcing basket against UST in Game 3 of UAAP Season 62 and sought to create a similar moment — not just for personal glory, but for his team and country.
(C) Pam Puri
“It was an opportunity for us to take the lead and, eventually, get the win,” said the UAAP Season 82 Rookie of the Year. “The moment Jax was fouled, I knew I wanted to take the penalty. I wanted to experience a moment like what my father had during ‘The Shot’ in his UAAP days.
“I talked it over with our captain, Gavin Muens, and we came up with a plan where we could channel the trash talk toward him, which helped take some of the attention and pressure away from me. Not that I really felt much pressure to begin with,” he continued.
“As a striker, it’s my job to score goals. At that moment, I just zeroed in; no noise, a calm heartbeat, and no pressure. I’ve taken that shot from that distance so many times in training, so I knew the odds were in my favor. I trusted myself, picked my spot, and the result was a goal.”
What made the win even more special for Aldeguer and several of his teammates was that the match marked their final game at the international youth level.
Signing off from this stage with a win in the Asian Games — the country’s first in 58 years — prompted strong celebrations and emotions when the entire squad reunited in the locker room.
“We definitely had the speaker at maximum volume, jumping and screaming along to every single song,” he said. “But toward the end, things started to get a little more sentimental. The boys born in 2003, myself included, knew that this was the end of a memorable and meaningful chapter in our youth international football journey.
“Some of us had been playing alongside each other for more than seven years, representing the Philippines together through different age groups. Knowing that this was our last time sharing a moment like this made it even harder to say goodbye.”
Now that the country’s Asian Games campaign is over, Aldeguer is ready to return to One Taguig for its AFC Challenge League campaign while continuing to prove himself worthy of a spot in the senior national team, which is set to compete in the new FIFA ASEAN Cup in the coming days.
Like his ancestor George and his father Dino, Aldeguer now has a defining moment to call his own — a milestone that helped the Philippine football team secure a momentous victory in the so-called ‘Olympics of Asia.’
“I think the biggest thing is to never be content with this feeling. I’m grateful for this moment, but I know I can still improve, get better, and score more goals,” he said.
“Hopefully, I can carry this confidence back to my club and continue to show what I’m capable of there. And if I can keep improving and performing at that level, hopefully it brings me closer to another opportunity to represent the senior national team. For now, it’s just about staying hungry and continuing to work.”
