The De La Salle University Green Archers earned a dream start to their UAAP Season 78 Men’s Football campaign with a close win against their archrivals, the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles. Greggy Yang, Jiggs Cruz, and team captain Gelo Diamante scored for the archers, while Christian Castillo did so for the Blue Eagles.
The first half was an end-to-end encounter between the Green Archers and the Blue Eagles. Both teams pressed each other, hoping to seize an opportunity via a mistake. It was DLSU goalkeeper Paeng De Guzman who was called to action early in the game when he caught the ball from an ADMU set piece.
Yang hit the crossbar from an acute angle in what was the Green Archers’ first chance in the game. That same crossbar benefitted the Green Archers when Yang hit a free kick which bounced off it and crossed the goal line. DLSU broke through to lead 1-0 at the 22nd minute.
Not to be outdone, the Blue Eagles responded immediately. A cross from ADMU captain Mikko Mabanag was headed into the goal by Castillo at the 23rd minute. ADMU had leveled at the space of one minute.
It was ADMU who had the chance to clinch the lead when a defensive mix-up from DLSU allowed Castillo to run through on goal only for him to shoot over at the 32nd minute. DLSU had a chance of their own three minutes later when Nace Gonzales shot over with the ADMU goalkeeper Jose Oracion on no man’s land.
DLSU and ADMU had to make do with a 1-1 scoreline at halftime, which given the run of play was fair to both.
Come the second half, the Green Archers had attempts on the Blue Eagles’ goal. Jed Diamante shot wide, while Yang had his free kick saved by Oracion at the 50th minute. On the other hand, ADMU rookie Javier Gayoso shot over the goal when he was through. Gayoso then made a free kick which narrowly missed the goal. DLSU’s Gerald Layumas joined in with his attempt but he failed to test Oracion.
The Green Archers wasted a golden opportunity when they won the ball in midfield, only for Gelo Diamante to mis-hit it at the 62nd minute. Gayosa was once again through on goal but the DLSU defense did enough to make him shoot over.
ADMU’s Jeremiah Rocha conceded a free kick at the 77th minute, on which Oracion made a great save to deny Yang. It was Gayoso’s turn to score from a free kick but he was denied by De Guzman at the 82nd minute.
The game’s turning point occurred at the 84th minute when De Guzman committed a foul in the DLSU penalty box. ADMU’s Emilio Acosta stepped up but failed to convert the penalty after De Guzman made a great save.
With the Green Archers full of relief and confidence, DLSU rookie Cruz made a solo run at the left flank and hit a shot that crept in ADMU’s goal at the 90th minute. The Green Archers were confident of victory by this point on the match and a header from Gelo Diamante secured all three points in stoppage time. The Green Archers won 3-1 and took all three points back to Taft.
For DLSU coach Hans-Peter Smit, he’d rather win like this than have his players perform well in the first half. “I’d rather win like this so that they know they’ll have to push harder in the next games.”
Both teams’ next games shall be on February 13, 2016 (Saturday) at the McKinley Hill Stadium. The Blue Eagles shall face their counterparts from the Far Eastern University at the 1:00PM game while the Green Archers will go against the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons at 7:00PM.
