THE ATENEO Women’s Football Team (AWFT) snapped their four-game losing skid in the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Women’s League Cup 2022 after they bested Azzurri SC, 2-1. The match was held yesterday, November 30, at the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite.
Right from the onset, the Blue Eagles were determined to get ahead early. Ateneo’s first chance of the game came at the eighth minute, when Azzurri goalkeeper Elaisa Portez was tested by a Kassandra Zalamea long-range shot. Continuing to overload the attack, Joyce Semacio from the Blue and White put up a curling left-foot shot that hit the bar in the 23rd minute. Semacio’s persistence for the goal eventually paid off after a minute of narrowly missing the target. The forward finally put Ateneo ahead by uncorking a venomous volley with her right foot, a move that Portez was unable to stop.
After scoring the opening goal, the Blue Eagles did not rest on their laurels as they continued to go aggressive on the attack. However, despite getting a couple of shots off, the Katipunan-based squad failed to double their advantage. Thus, during the dying seconds of the first half, Azzurri scored the equalizer after Hannah Muros avoided Ateneo goalkeeper Adrielle Lee for an easy goal. Ultimately, that would signal the end of an eventful first half with both teams playing to a deadlock, 1-1.
It was a nip-and-tuck affair at the resumption as both teams attempted to penetrate each other’s defenses. Following a lull for about 10 minutes—with both squads failing to get any significant chance to goal—Zalamea played a through ball to substitute Maria Dungo. With Dungo only needing to beat Azzurri goalkeeper Portez, the forward calmly slotted the ball at the near post in the 69th minute to give the advantage back to the Blue and White, 2-1.
With the game still tightly contested, the Blue Eagles put up an impressive defensive stand during the final moments of the game. In the 86th minute, Azzurri had one last chance to equalize, courtesy of their goal-scorer Muros. However, the Azzurri player’s shot failed to test Ateneo’s Lee as it hit the side netting. In the end, it was the Blue Eagles who proved victorious, snapping a four-game losing streak in the process.
Ateneo looks to end their PFF Women’s Cup campaign on a high note as they go up against the University of the Philippines Women’s Football Team on Saturday, December 3, 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) Adrielle Lee
Soleil Schroth
Gabrielle Tuaño
Kassandra Zalamea
Joyce Semacio
Andrea Avedillo
(Captain) Patricia Fransisco
Isabella Guerrero
Maria Espiritu
Traci Lim
Princess Pelipel
Azzurri Starting XI
(GK) Elaisa Portez
Precious Casapao
Julianna Macarubbo
Hannah Muros
Alexandra Lucero
Princess Cristobas
Geelliann Antioquia
Sheila Umayao
Leame Remuilta
Princess Dela Rosa
Jacqueline Ballares
