The De La Salle University Green Archers and University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons started their UAAP Season 79 Men’s Football Tournament campaigns with a 0-0 draw tonight in the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.
UP, though, would be the more frustrated party as it failed to capitalize on its chances against La Salle.
“Definitely we could have done better sa finishing,” lamented UP coach Anto Gonzales. “That’s the difficult part when you have no home field. We train all over the place. We will try to make the most of what we’re given.”
Both teams endured a wasteful affair in the first half. Chances arrived at a minimum for both schools. La Salle’s best chance of the period came from Yoshiharu Koizumi whose free kick was caught by UP goalie Ace Villanueva.
Green Archers forward Rigoberto Joseph then tried his luck with a bicycle kick, only for his attempt to go wide. From then on, it was all UP as it bombarded the Taft school’s goal.
Sophomore midfielder Christian Lapas unleashed a longshot which went well over the Green Archers goal while La Salle goalie Kerbi Almonte was forced to make a routine stop from Kintaro Miyagi. Center-back Ian Clarino also headed wide from a set-piece.
A goalless draw was what both schools attained at the break. La Salle needed to improve offensively in order to threaten UP more while the latter just had to knock harder to draw first blood.
UP and La Salle’s impotence on goal then continued in the second half. La Salle midfielders Koizumi and Matthew Custodio failed to hit the target with their freekicks. Similar to the first half, UP sought a way past the La Salle’s defense.
Almonte was a busy man and he proved his worth to deny Daniel Saavedra and Miyagi. Miyagi, in particular, could have won the game but he failed to convert at least one of his chances in front of the La Salle goal.
In the end, La Salle and UP had to contend with a point each to kickstart the season. It’s a point won for the Green Archers and points lost for UP.
“You see I’ve put in so many rookies. They did well. One point is better than zero points. It’s not a bad start. A bad start would be a loss,” commented La Salle coach Hans-Peter Smit.
La Salle XI: Almonte, Brago, Custodio, Diamante J, Gonzales, Joseph, Koizumi, Montelibano J, Villacin, Ybanez, Zubiri.
UP XI: Abraham, Borlongan, Clarino Ju, Clarino Jo, Gadia, Lapas, Magdato, Miyagi, Rafanan, Saavedra, Sanciangco, Villanueva.
