THE ATENEO Women’s Football Team (AWFT) succumbed to University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigresses, 0-7, en route to their third straight defeat in the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Women’s League Cup 2022. The match was held on November 19 at the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite.

It was a physical game from the get-go as both teams started the match aggressively. This style played into the hands of the Growling Tigresses however, as they looked like the more dangerous squad on the attack. In the 17th minute mark, UST’s Gleydille Añonuevo went aggressive in her run and forced Ateneo goalkeeper Chelssey Casas to keep steady by the net. Despite Casas’ best efforts to thwart the Growling Tigresses’ breakthrough, Añonuevo did a good job in avoiding the shot-stopper for the easy goal, 0-1.

Unfortunately, Casas was injured after that sequence, necessitsting her substitution for Adrielle Lee. UST came close to doubling their advantage in the 34th minute as Nathalie Absalon received an overhead pass from almost the halfway line into the penalty box. Despite this, Blue Eagle Traci Lim did an excellent job in recovering and blocking the shot. Ultimately, that goal opportunity was the last real chance of the Blue Eagles in the first half and they entered the break down by 0-1.

After the intermission, the Katipunan-based squad wasted no time in trying to level the scoreline. In the 52nd minute, Ateneo’s Joyce Semacio troubled UST goalkeeper Regine Rasonable as the striker uncorked a free-kick to the left side of Rasonable’s goal. Semacio got a second chance for the goal a minute after as she stood to take another free-kick. This time, the Atenean talisman got the better of Rasonable as she scored the equalizer after perfectly placing her shot to the bottom right corner.

From then on, it was a nip-and-tuck battle to see who could score the winning goal. In the 64th minute, the Growling Tigresses found that goal as Absalon scored her second goal of the game after unleashing a volley from far outside the penalty box. Both teams had a couple more chances after the third goal of the match, but none found the back of the net. In the end, the Blue Eagles had no response which handed them a 1-2 loss at the hands of the España-based team.

The Blue Eagles look to get back to winning ways as they go up against the Azurri FC on Wednesday, November 30 at 4:00 PM at the PFF National Training Center. Fans can watch Ateneo’s games live on PFF’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Editor’s Note: The writer of the article, Juris Salvanera, is the current manager of the Ateneo Men’s Football Team.

Ateneo Starting XI

(GK) Chelssy Casals

Soleil Schroth

Maria Vanessa Angeles

Gabrielle Tuaño

Kassandra Zalamea

Joyce Semacio

Andrea Avedillo

(Captain) Patricia Fransisco

Maria Dungo

Traci Lim

Princess Pelipel

UST Starting XI

(GK) Regine Rasonable

Christy Logastua

Gleydile Añonuevo

Judy Prado

(Captain) Jerelyn Danao

Cindy Bennett

Marfe De Castro

Nathalie Absalon

Erica Mosico

Carmela Bennett

Lovely Fernandez