By: Nicole Parallag
Paolo Go came clutch in the second half as De La Salle University overcame University of the Philippines, 2-1, to rise to second place in the UAAP Season 86 Men’s Football Tournament on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.
With the match at 1-0 in favor of UP, Isaac Anoh managed to pull one back with a penalty kick in the 47th minute after Carlos Lozano was fouled in the Fighting Maroons’ box.
It was the Ivorian national’s eighth goal, leading the goalscoring race this season.
Go then completed the comeback, sealing La Salle’s second straight win by cutting inside from the left flank to score past Fighting Maroons goalkeeper Alfonso Gonzalez in the 64th minute.
“It’s easier to catch up with a 1-0 lead than a 0-2 lead, as what happened to us against UST. At least we were able to catch up and score a go-ahead goal,” said Green Booterscoach Alvin Ocampo.
The win propelled De La Salle to solo second with 15 points, leapfrogging UP with a superior goal difference of plus-5 compared to the latter’s plus-3.
“Like what I’ve said before the game, it’s really hard work,” said Ocampo. “Playing a top team in the UAAP right now, it all boils down to being persistent. If they want to win, they really have to work hard for it. They have to dig deep.”
De La Salle will take a two-week break before trying to extend its winning streak against University of the East on April 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the same venue.
In contrast, it was a dismal afternoon for the Fighting Maroons, who were on a three-game winning streak beforehand.
Unlike their first-round win against De La Salle last March 3, where they went down first but won 3-1 in the end, the opposite came true this time around.
Francis Tacardon converted a penalty in the 35th minute to draw first blood for UP.
The Fighting Maroons had a commanding first half, giving them the edge against La Salle’s defense. But that was as good as it got for the Diliman squad as they failed to capitalize on their chances.
Tacardon had a chance to give the lead back to the Fighting Maroons before Go’s winner, only to sky his penalty.
His younger brother, substitute Florenz Carlos Tacardon, had a big chance to equalize late in the match but hit the side netting as the Green Booters held on to complete their comeback.
Following this frustrating turn of events, UP will look to bounce back against UE this Sunday at 4:00 p.m.
UP XI: Gonzales, Bongolan, Lobitana, Tobias (C), Togores, Pagadanganan, Tacardon F, Galsim, Parpan, Lampayan, Bation.
DLSU XI: Mangaoang (GK), Del Rosario, Go, Henares, Anoh, Almohjili (c), Lozano, Bengay, Abela, Labayen, Veloso
