The De La Salle University Lady Archers started the UAAP Season 79 Women’s Football Tournament second round with a hard-fought 2-1 win against the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws.
Kyra Dimaandal’s (53′ & 87′) brace sealed the victory for La Salle today at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila. Portia Acibar (23′) scored FEU’s only goal of the game.
“The first half, the heat got to the girls,” commented La Salle coach Hans-Peter Smit. “The first half even Inna [Palacios] was disoriented because of the heat. It was 40 degrees. It’s no excuse. It’s still our fault they scored [but] I didn’t have any doubts. Hindi sa nagmamayabang ako pero even with the heat like that we still had more domination in the game.”
FEU started the game as the more determined team. The Lady Tamaraws pressed the Lady Archers from kickoff, and almost had a goal two minutes into the contest when the latter’s defensive error allowed Jovelle Sudaria to shoot narrowly wide of the La Salle goal.
La Salle struggled in the first half. Whatever incision the Lady Archers had had in the first round was clearly missing, as Lady Tamaraws goalie Joy Chavez only had a Sara Castañeda free kick to catch during the whole period.
The Lady Tamaraws had the Lady Archers in their locker. In the 23rd minute, FEU finally got the goal they deserved in fortuitous fashion. Acibar delivered a ball into the La Salle box which was misjudged by Lady Archers goalie Inna Palacios. A simple catch turned disastrous for Palacios as the ball went past her fingertips and into the net.
It was the first time this season that La Salle had conceded earlier than their opponents, and FEU thoroughly deserved the one-goal edge at the break. That cushion, though, dissipated just eight minutes into the second half. Mary Duran penetrated the FEU defense and laid the ball to Dimaandal who powered it in in the 53rd minute.
That was the turning point La Salle needed, as the Lady Archers kept breaching the Lady Tamaraws’ goal. Chance after chance came for the Lady Archers, but the Lady Tamaraws held firm every time.
Niña Arrieta should have scored the winning goal late in the game, only for her shot to hit the FEU crossbar. Nevertheless, La Salle pushed on, and Sara Castañeda forced a save from Chaves, only for the ball to land at Dimaandal’s feet who then tapped it home in the 87th minute.
La Salle eventually won 2-1 against FEU in what was big test of character for the league leaders. “In the second half they were able to recover and do a better job. Like I told you before it’s character of the girls,” concluded Smit.
FEU-Diliman shall host both teams’ next games. La Salle (15 points) will face Ateneo de Manila University at 3:30 PM, while FEU (4 points) will play University of the Philippines earlier at 1:30 PM.
DLSU XI: Andaya, Arrieta, Castañeda, Dimaandal, Duran, Inquig, Ledesma, Metillo, Navaja, Palacios, Tejada.
FEU XI: Acibar, Bejic, Belluga, Chavez, Chinedo, Cupal, Lam, Requerme. Sales, Simoy, Sudaria
