The head coach of the De La Salle football teams has called on the UAAP board to apply the FIFA rules on tiebreaking in the UAAP football tournament.

Long-time coach Hans-Peter Smit issued this recommendation after the final elimination round match between De La Salle University and Far Eastern University, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

The result forced a rubber match between the Lady Archers and the University of the Philippines set on May 13, after the two schools tied for second and third place with 14 tournament points.

The Lady Tamaraws have booked their spot in the final a week earlier, ending the elimination round with 19 points.

The Lady Archers though has a superior +8 goal differential over the Lady Maroons.

But this standard mode of tiebreak used in FIFA-sanctioned tournaments does not apply in the UAAP for elimination scenarios.

Instead, in case of a tie for second and third place in the women’s tournament, and fourth and fifth place in the men’s tourney, a do-or-die playoff game is scheduled, which is the rule in all UAAP sports that feature head-to-head matches.

“The UAAP board should start thinking about making rules for the sport. You don’t see this kind of rule in anywhere else in the world. It is clear that we’re way ahead by goal difference, but then we have the playoffs instead,” Smit lamented.

* * *