With the match between De La Salle University and University of the Philippines delicately poised at one-all last Sunday in the UAAP Season 86 Men’s Football Tournament, the former needed something special to break through and claim full points at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.
Almost seemingly out of nowhere, up stepped Paolo Go.
He penetrated the Fighting Maroons’ box from the left flank and performed a cool finish to score the winning goal in the 64th minute for the Green Booters.
Amid a tight race to enter the semifinals, the Entrepreneurship student’s strike elevated La Salle to second place in the standings with a points tally of 15.
They are two ahead of the current fifth-placed team University of Santo Tomas.
“I gotta give props to (goalkeeper) Ico Mangaoang, who gave me the pass. It was beautiful and I just ran for it. Once I got that ball, I just had my target on scoring that goal,” he said.
It was Go’s second goal of the season after his first one that came in a 2-1 loss against UST last March 24.
Slowly but surely, the Bacolod native is strengthening his case to be La Salle’s third man in its attacking trident alongside striker Isaac Anoh, who has eight goals this season, and captain Mohammed Almohjili.
His uptick in form has come at a good time considering that the Green Booters drew winnable games against the likes of Adamson University, UST, and archrival Ateneo de Manila University in the first round.
La Salle clearly missed the services of winger Mikio Umilin, who could win the team matches almost on his own and graduated during the off-season, during that first round.
The squad is finally showing signs it has other players like Go who are stepping up to the plate.
“Mikio was a person I looked up to,” said the St. John’s Institute alumnus.
“The way he played was incredible. He taught me a lot and I applied that and kept that mindset going through this season and always do our best.
“The coaches always trusted me to play in that spot and fill in Mikio’s shoes because that’s where I used to play really — on that side. When Mikio was there, I had to play on the other side and learn a different position. But watching Mikio play, I got to learn a lot of stuff from him and I’ll try to apply that in the way I play as well. I just have to fill in the shoes and try my best all the time,” he added.
All of a sudden, La Salle is on a two-game winning streak. Now, it looks to extend this momentum to three matches when it takes on also-ran University of the East on April 21 at 6:30 PM
Every point matters at this phase of the tournament. Wins against Adamson and UP have set the tone for the school’s last elimination round assignments after the four-game rot that saw it get three draws and a loss before the Holy Week break.
Now with players like Go finding their form, the chance is there for the Green Booters to dream of a strong finish this year.
“The changes from that game really came from a winning drought: three games we drew eh and then we lost against UST,” he said. “It really became our motivation to try and get another win. Coming from that Adamson win, we used that as fuel and momentum to get another win and make bawi sa UP.
“To maintain this momentum, we just have to keep our mindset and keep working. The season’s not over. Job’s not done so you gotta keep hustling and do your best throughout the season. Three more games if I’m not wrong. We’re aiming for that top four.”
