UST forces La Salle into deadlock

c/o UAAP

Men's Matches on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

2 p.m. — Ateneo vs UP

4:30 p.m. — UST vs AdU

7 p.m. — UE vs DLSU

GLEYDILE Añonuevo’s dramatic equalizer earned University of Santo Tomas a 2-2 draw against De La Salle University in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Women’s Football Tournament on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

Añonuevo, a product of Del Carmen National High School, put the ball at the back of the net in the 83rd minute to earn the Lady Booters their second point of the campaign, which also keeps their slim hopes of reaching this season’s final alive.

“Malakas talaga yung team ng La Salle eh, mas lalo na dahil sa national team players nila,” said UST head coach Marjo Allado. “Throughout the game, yung girls naunahan ng score diba pero alam mo hindi sila nag-give up and na-survive namin yung 90 minutes na pagod na pagod na.”

It was La Salle's second straight draw following a 1-1 stalemate versus Far Eastern University in a rematch of last season's Final at the end of the first round.

Añonuevo’s leveler capped off what became a four-goal thriller from both teams. 

Arantxa Trebol gave La Salle a dream start with a 63rd-minute header off Chenny Mae Dañoso’s cross while Danielle Tanjangco had a goal ruled out in the 66th minute due to a foul in the UST box.

Substitute Rojana Nemenzo pulled one back for UST with a header in the 73rd minute, only for La Salle striker Shai del Campo to give the lead back to the Season 86 finalist with a 78th-minute strike.

UST, though, enjoyed the last laugh as Añonuevo completed the unlikely draw.

“Ang pinakamagandang nangyari tonight is, yun nga, sabi ko dun sa La Salle, dahil dito sa draw binigyan niyo ng confidence players ko,” said Allado. “I know naman La Salle will go up sa championship pero malaking bagay yung pag-draw against La Salle eh.”

Previously, UST lost 2-0 to La Salle in both teams’ first-round clash last September 20.

UST, which remained bottom of the standings with two points and a minus-4 goal difference, will face Ateneo de Manila University this Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at the same venue.

On the other hand, La Salle, which reclaimed the top spot of the standings with 11 points and a plus-5 GD, faces Ateneo as well but on November 23 at 4 p.m.