University of the Philippines, Far Eastern University, and Ateneo de Manila University got the better of their club counterparts while University of Santo Tomas faltered against Tuloy during the opening weekend of the PFF Women’s Cup held at the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite.
The PFF Women’s Cup returns for a third edition after a 7-year hiatus with FEU as its last champion in 2015. It is also the first competitive tournament for women’s football in the Philippines since the PFF Women’s League in 2020 after being forced to be shuttered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably absent are three-time PFFWL champions De La Salle University.
Four UP braces clobber Azurri 8-0
UP opened the Women’s Cup with style as four players scored twice to secure the full three points at the expense of Azurri FC.
It only took 17 minutes before the scoreboard lit up with recent national team pick Alyssa Ube netting the first goal of the tournament. A flurry of follow-up goals came six minutes later from Kamea Mangrobang and Andrea Montilla before Ube scored again in the 31st minute for a fourth Maroon goal. Montilla struck another goal just two minutes before the halftime whistle.
It was Mangrobang’s turn to complete her brace four minutes into the second half after a loose ball dropped into her lap inside the box. UP capped off an emphatic win after national futsal team stalwart Coleen Reaso registered a brace of her own with superb goals in the 81st and 86th minutes.
FEU trounces club juggernaut Kaya-Iloilo 2-0
Sister teams FEU and Kaya FC-Iloilo figured in a tight-knit affair with FEU prevailing on a pair of scrappy goals.
FEU and Kaya are two teams that know each other well owing to shared personnel during the offseason but it was FEU who outfoxed Kaya to walk away with the three points.
It was the rookie Regine Rebosura who jumpstarted the action when she dispossessed a Kaya defender on the way to their goal in the 8th minute. Kaya’s defenders were able to recover and blocked the initial attack in time but Sandy Matunding picked up on the rebound to smash the ball home for FEU’s first goal.
Kaya regrouped and managed to keep the Tamaraws at bay but ultimately paid the price on missed chances after substitute Marinelle Cristobal’s run in the 81st minute resulted in a goal despite a rough challenge.
Ateneo notches 4-1 victory over Stallion Laguna
A Joyce Semacio brace puts a stamp on Ateneo’s win and three points over Stallion Laguna FC.
It would be the rookie Semacio who would update the scoreboard first in favor of Ateneo after a brilliant and well-controlled strike from outside the box in the 36th minute that was too much for Hazel Arce to handle.
Stallion would respond five minutes later when Saichiko Benjamin was left unchecked at the far post to slot in an equalizer.
Luck was not on Stallion’s side however as they conceded an own goal 14 minutes into the second half to give Ateneo the go-ahead. Their woes continued as Semacio found the back of the net again from distance in the 72nd minute and Soleil Schroth’s cleanup strike in the 86th minute.
Evangelista brace shocks UST for Tuloy’s come-from-behind win
UST failed to complete the UAAP sweep of the weekend after a sensational second half from Louraine Harvey Evangelista saw Tuloy FC run away with the three points.
The final match of the weekend started tentatively for both teams which remained goalless until most of the first half. Unhappy with the proceedings, UST decided to quickly switch things up with early substitutions which inserted Kristine Abo-abo and proven scorer Nathalie Absalon. This turned out to be productive changes as both players contributed to breaking the deadlock at near halftime with a breakaway goal from Absalon with Abo-abo providing the assist.
Tuloy would rally in the closing 45 minutes which involved a sensational run from a boxed in Evangelista to level the game in the 61st minute before a colossal strike at close range to gift Tuloy the lead and the come-from-behind victory.
Cup Standings
UP – 3 pts (+8 GD)
ADMU – 3 pts (+3 GD)
FEU – 3 pts (+2 GD)
Tuloy FC – 3 pts (+1 GD)
UST – 0 pt (-1 GD)
Kaya FC-Iloilo – 0 pt (-2 GD)
Stallion Laguna FC – 0 pt (-3 GD)
Azurri FC – 0 pt (-8 GD)
On Deck
The PFF Women’s Cup continues on Wednesday, November 9, at the PFF National Training Center in Carmona between UP and UST at 4:00 P.M. followed by Kaya FC-Iloilo and Tuloy FC at 6:00 P.M. The games will be broadcasted on the Facebook page of the PFF Women’s League.
