The DLSU Women’s Football Team beat their counterparts from archrival school ADMU to reach the finals of the 2015 PFF Women’s Invitational Cup with a Chelo Hodges goal in the dying minutes.
DLSU will face FEU in the finals of the 2015 PFF Women’s Invitational Cup which will be held in the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Sunday, September 21, 2015.
Even though his team made it through the finals, DLSU coach Hans-Peter Smit wasn’t satisfied with the win. Smit says that the instructions he sent his team were followed save for the attack. “They followed instructions. It just so happens it’s the attack they didn’t follow except for that goal. So at least I’m not gonna take the win away, that’s still three points and we’re off to the finals but I’m not satisfied. I’m not yet satisfied.”
Smit says that Ateneo played well and that his players have to play tougher while praising his team’s defense. “We had their number. We had what we need to do on defense as you can see. They had their chances but my defense held on.”
DLSU captain and goalkeeper Inna Palacios agrees with her coach’s assessment saying that the game could have gone either way and that her defenders played a good game. “I think the game was fair like 50/50 possession. Regarding my saves or the balls I get from the box, they are always loose balls. So I think it’s because of my defenders. My defenders played well. They were compact. They were disciplined and our midfield was trying to work together with our strikers and defense so that there won’t be a gap between them that would create crucial chances.”
The multi-titled DLSU coach believes that his team has had a good run in this tournament. “Yes considering I’ve only had 11 ½ players. None of my recruits are here playing. We could have played even better. This says a lot also about the bench. As you can see I had players, I had to use them no matter what. They still lack exposure. They still lack a lot of experience”, stated Smit.
Reigning UAAP Women’s Football Champions FEU will be facing DLSU in the finals. Smit says that his players will have to improve on their fitness and their first touch. He further stressed the importance of his players’ first touch, especially when it comes to their attack.
For Palacios, it’s their overall game which can be improved to secure the championship. She will tell her teammates to play their hearts out in the finals. “Again we’re gonna try and strengthen our defense and be more creative up front to create more chances. For what I am gonna say to them it’s that no matter who we’re playing against, whoever our opponent is. We’re gonna play our hearts out and we’re gonna give everything that we have on the pitch and follow what coach Hans instructs us to do.”
With the UAAP five months away, Smit hopes that this run will go a long way in reclaiming that championship. Furthermore, he says that no change to his team needs to be done with the UAAP still far away. “No need to change because the UAAP is still far. That is my target. I told the girls in the beginning, we join this tournament to see how far we can go. If we do well, then we might as well go all the way.”
His captain, Palacios, agrees with him saying DLSU must improve on last season’s performance. Considering this team is still at its infancy, Palacios says her team is doing quite well, but the real target is the UAAP. She explains, “I think this team is doing pretty well so far and we’re just trying to take it slow because we’re still far from the UAAP. We don’t want to peak right away and go down unexpectedly. So we’re taking it slow and easy, if we see errors and if we can do something to improve them, we just do so.”
