Far Eastern University claims United Women's Invitational Football League crown

Far Eastern University

Far Eastern University capped off a hectic day for the United Women's Invitational Football League, edging out Kaya FC-Iloilo, 1-0, in the final late Sunday night at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

Carmela Altiche scored the lone goal of the match in the 37th minute for the Lady Tamaraws, with Yasmine Elauria making a couple of key saves in the second half to stave off the PFF Women's League champions.

Speaking to the campus media outfit FEU Advocate afterwards, Altiche credit her teamnates for the goal. "Hindi lang po dahil ‘yon sa akin. It’s a team effort po (Nagtulungan po kami bilang koponan). Kung hindi naman dahil po sa teammates (mga kakampi) ko, hindi po kami maka[kukuha] ng goal. Though (Kahit na) ako ‘yung nakaiskor, I dedicated it [to] my teammates (nilalaan ko ‘yun para sa mga kakampi ko) po and (at) sa lahat po [ng sumusuporta]."

The win capped off an undefeated campaign for the UAAP champions, who are using the competition to help with their upcoming title preparations.

Altiche adds, "Masaya and dagdag ‘to sa motivation and preparation (panghuhugutan at paghahanda) namin towards (para sa) UAAP. Malaking bagay po siya kasi nakakapag-start (nakapagsisimula) na kaming ma-build (maitaguyod) ‘yung confidence and chemistry (lakas ng loob at samahan) namin. Kahit may lapses, we try to improve every training and every game (mga pagkukulang, sinusubukan naming mas gumaling sa bawat ensayo at laro),"

Finishing in third place in this tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Football Federation is Manila Digger FC, defeating the University of the Philippines, 1-0 earlier in the afternoon.

Recent acquisition and Philippines international Quinley Quezada scored the lone goal of the match via a 36th minute penalty.

Kicking off a long day of football was the third place match in the Plate Division, with the University of Santo Tomas emerging as 5-4 penalty shootout winners against Ateneo de Manila University. Tootchie Eval's 24th minute goal was canceled by Maria Gerona's equalizer in the 50th minute, setting up the shootout.

La Salle would win the Plate Division with an impressive 8-1 triumph over Tuloy FC.

Alisha del Campo locked up the Best Striker award with a four-goal performance, finished with six goals in the tournament. Arantxa Trebol, Danielle Tanjangco, Aliexa Casi, and Samantha Toledo each added a goal on a dominant performance.

In the other individual awards, Elauria was selected as Best Goalkeeper, with teammate Sarahgen Tulabing honored as the Best Midfielder. Hali Long of Kaya FC was picked as the Best Defender, while fellow national team callup Inday Tolentin was named as the competition's Most Valuable Player.

The inaugural United Women's Invitational Football League is a continuation of preparations for the upcoming UAAP for the participating universities, as well as for Kaya FC-Iloilo's foray into the inaugural edition of the AFC Women's Champions League, of which the squad has been slotted into Group B of the Group Stage.