PAM DIAZ’S 26th-minute goal proved vital as the Ateneo Women’s Football Team (AWFT) garnered their first win in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 Women’s Football tournament, defeating the University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons on Wednesday, March 20, at the Circulo Verde Pitch in Quezon City.
Both teams began the match slowly with either side failing to create clear-cut chances. The Lady Eagles had a larger share of possession early on but struggled to find seams in the UP backline. The Lady Maroons, on the other hand, had trouble asserting themselves on the attack.
Diaz broke the deadlock in the 26th minute with a long-distance strike from a difficult angle. Her shot caught UP Keeper Nicole Adlawan off-guard to give Ateneo the lead before the half-hour mark.
26’ – GOAL! Diaz catches Adlawan off-guard with a shot from distance, giving Ateneo the advantage!
Ateneo 1 UP 0#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/f4B4l1uIwo
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) March 20, 2019
The Lady Eagles nearly scored 10 minutes later, after good link-up play between Jill Panganiban and Martie Bautista set up Cathy Cabrera. The veteran Eagle squandered the chance from point-blank range.
36’ – Chance for Ateneo! Panganiban finds Bautista inside the box with the goal gaping, but her ensuing ball eludes Cabrera, squandering the chance.
Ateneo 1 UP 0#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/45NDAN3neV
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) March 20, 2019
Ateneo continued to apply pressure in the second half. In the 72nd minute, substitute attacker Martina Ferrer positioned herself well inside the box to receive the ball with space, but her shot lacked power as Adlawan safely handled the effort.
72’ – Chance! Ferrer positions herself well to receive Bautista’s pass, but Adlawan safety collects the soft effort.
Ateneo 1 UP 0#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/Tb3y9c16mX
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) March 20, 2019
The Lady Maroons nearly pulled level in the final minutes of injury time, stringing together passes to free up Alyssa Ube on the counter, but Mariane Caparros came to the rescue with a gutsy save to seal Ateneo’s first win of the season.
“Sabi ko nga sa [team] na on track pa tayo, kailangan nating gawin is to get the three points,” said Coach Jaypee Merida on what he told the girls before the match. “Ang problema lang [this season] is that every time we score, we concede. Kailangan for this game was to not concede.”
(I told the team before the match that we’re still on track; all we need to do is get the victory. A constant problem this season is that every time we score, we concede. It is important that we didn’t concede for this game.)
This win propels Ateneo to a 1-0-3 record, while UP falls to a similar 1-0-3 record to conclude the first round. The schedule of the second round has yet to be decided since the league will be put on hiatus to make way for the 2020 AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Starting XIs:
Ateneo: Adao, Almeda M., Bautista, Bugayong, Cabrera, Calimbo, Caparros (GK, C), Catedrilla, De, Luna, Diaz, Panganiban
UP: Adlawan (GK), Alleje (C), Corvera, Dabalos, Dungca, Fagsao, Montilla, Ruiz, Sajonia, Ube Yalong.
Substitutions:
62’ – Ferrer on for Panganiban
76’ – Roxas on for Almeda J.
Photo by Mark Anastacio
