Cellar-dwellers Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws gave themselves a bit of hope in their UAAP Season 79 Women’s Football Tournament run with a 3-2 victory against the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles.
Jean Kadil’s (22′ & 90′) brace and Jovelle Sudaria (55′) sealed the win tonight at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila, as Cam Rodriguez’s (86 & 90+1′) late goals weren’t enough to arrest a skid that has now reached three straight losses.
“Very disappointing with regards to the officiating,” exclaimed FEU coach Let Dimzon. “At least I’m happy with the result (at) kung papano lumaban ang players ko. Tinrabaho namin ang attacking and it worked out. I’m happy with the performance ng mga attacking players.”
From the get-go, it was the Lady Tamaraws who wanted the three points more. FEU started aggressively, and the Lady Eagles succumbed to the former’s pressing game. The Morayta school also launched long balls from their defense to attack in order to force an opening.
One such passage of play allowed Kadil through on goal, and she made the most of it as she penetrated the Lady Eagles box and beat Marie Caparros one-on-one to draw first blood in the 22nd minute.
The Lady Eagles failed to come up with any sort of response, as Caparros remained busier than her counterpart Joy Chaves. A one-goal edge at the break frustrated the Lady Tamaraws, as Caparros held firm to deny them multiple times in the first half.
Things then became worse for Ateneo as the FEU doubled their lead at the 55th minute. This time it was Sudaria who found herself through on goal, and Caparros was helpless to repel the inevitable. Sudaria calmly directed the ball home and FEU got the insurance goal they needed.
Ateneo had a mountain to climb at this point of the game. Chaves was still untested by the Lady Eagles, who were left to hope for a miracle. Substitute Joy Capistrano thought she had scored a goal out of nowhere, only for it to be ruled out contentiously for offside.
Whether or not it was truly offside, FEU had a lucky break. The Lady Tamaraws failed to heed the warnings, though, as Rodriguez tapped in a Tiffany Siy assist in the 86th minute to give the Lady Eagles hope.
Prompted by the goal, Ateneo pushed up a high line in order to press FEU. The move backfired in spectacular fashion as Kadil raced to the goal, found space for herself to shoot, and fired a spectacular shot past Caparros in the 90th minute.
Ateneo pulled another goal back courtesy of Rodriguez again at the 90+1st minute, but that failed to dampen FEU’s parade. It was the Lady Tamaraws’ evening and, by a mixture of luck and perseverance, they held on for a precious victory.
FEU (4 points) will go up against the De La Salle University-Manila on March 26, 1:00 PM at their Diliman campus field. On the other hand, the skidding Ateneo Lady Eagles (6 points) shall face the University of Santo Tomas on March 25, 3:00 PM at Rizal Memorial.
FEU will miss three players players against La Salle next week. Two of which, Faith Parejo, and Zhyrelle Belluga, comprise of half of the Lady Tamaraws backline which frustrated Dimzon. “Imagine yung mga cards na yun para saan? I don’t know! Yung mga importante players ko, ayun pa ang mawawala for the next game,” concluded Dimzon.
FEU XI: Acibar, Bejic, Belluga, Chavez, Cupal, Kadil, Lam, Pachejo, Sales, Simoy, Sudaria
ADMU XI: Amoncio, Bernardo, Caparros, Catedrilla N, Catedrilla M, Diaz, Herrera, Ong, Rodriguez, Sabio, Siy
