Playing with ten women for 65 minutes, defending champion Far Eastern University (FEU) found a way to beat fiercest rival De La Salle University, 3-2, in the penultimate gamedate of the UAAP women’s football tournament on Saturday at the University of the Philippines (UP).
Catching the ricochet from the crossbar off her own miss, rookie midfielder Tiffany Trinidad scored the game winner in the 88th minute to award the Lady Tamaraws a spotless 3-0 record to tie La Salle with nine points.
“Yun yung puso ng FEU,” said team captain Inday Tolentin, who scored the first goal, assisted the second one, and helped in building up the winning goal.
“Yan ang way naming maglaro. Kahilt alam namin na kulang kami, ipinakita namin na kaya naming manalo. Nilabas namin kung ano ang brand ng FEU talaga, which is yung sipag, ipakita sa field,” the national team standout added.
Outmuscling wing back Stephanie Goñe on the 1v1 in the 40th, Tolentin negated Lyka Teves’ early goal (22nd minute) with a running attack from the left, just four minutes after the ejection of defender Janly Fontamillas, who got booked with a red card following a tackle on Shai Del Campo’s scoring attack.
La Salle tried to assert their strength in numbers and got a favorable result, as World Cup veteran Anicka Castañeda with a running attack from the right in the 61st minute.
Reigning Most Valuable Player Katrina Magbitang answered eight minutes later, goaling off Tolentin’s long ball.
Tolentin then issued a nifty cross from the right wing, targeting Trinidad for the win.
“Yung pinaka-best dun is yung resilience ng mga players. Every time they’re down, di talaga naggi-give up,” said a relieved FEU manager Let Dimzon.
In the first game, Ateneo de Manila finally earned their first point since 2019, salvaging a 2-2 draw versus the UP Lady Maroons.
Senior midfielder KC Zalamea wowed the home crowd with an early attack in the 7th minute but UP responded with two first half goals off Aurea Reaso (19th minute) and Andrea Montilla (36th minute).
Despite the Lady Eagles’ dearth in possession in the first half, their midfield clicked in the second half, gaining more possessions which led to a penalty goal by Angely Alferez, who absorbed a foul from Jennifer Baroin in the 76th minute.
“Number one crucial point there is that UP took out their number one playmaker Reaso. So we saw the loophole on that’s why I decided to bring down another striker to contain that area and then put a decoy striker in front just to create that same system,” explained Ateneo manager Bob Manlulo on their tactical adjustment for the point.
“We need to adjust the players to have a more convincing attacking pattern. So it’s more on the mindset and attitude of the players not to give up so they can catch up with UP,” he added.
The Lady Eagles, who have surpassed their goals made from last season, have overtaken next week foes University of Santo Tomas at fourth place while UP is at far third place with four points.
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