By: Nicole Parallag

Despite missing three players due to suspension, Far Eastern University dug deep to earn a 1-0 victory over the University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP Season 89 Collegiate Women’s Football Tournament on Wednesday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium in Quezon City.

Starting goalkeeper Blaine Barredo, Kyza Colina, and Kristine Dela Peña were all serving a one-game suspension after being sent off against University of the Philippines last Sunday.

Instead, the Lady Tamaraws leaned on Julia Sacmar’s goal and rookie goalkeeper Mikah Ranain to escape with the win.

(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team

Sacmar broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, capitalizing on an opportunity inside the box to put FEU ahead. It was the 20-year-old forward’s third goal of the season, making her the league’s leading scorer so far.

Meanwhile, Ranain made her debut as FEU’s starting goalkeeper and recorded her first clean sheet in the UAAP in place of the suspended Barredo.

FEU remained atop the standings with nine points, level with De La Salle University but ahead on goal difference, with a plus-10 compared to the Lady Booters’ plus-six.

“Medyo nag-struggle once na nag-sub na ng players, especially positioning. Polishing lang sa movements and plays and yung adjustment namin, especially this game. Konting pats on their shoulder, I’m still satisfied with the game because they did their best,” FEU head coach Let Dimzon stated.

Now on a 16-game winning streak and a 34-game unbeaten run, FEU will look to extend its impressive stretch when it faces Ateneo de Manila University in the opening game of Saturday’s triple-header at 2:00 PM.

(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team

On the other hand, UST struggled to find a breakthrough as missed chances kept the Lady Booters off the scoresheet.

Gleydille Añonuevo came close to putting UST ahead in the 14th minute, but Ranain was quick to make the save. Joyce Gemberva had another chance to level the score in the 81st minute following a free kick, but her effort sailed over the bar.

UST suffered its second loss of the season after also falling to Ateneo in its opening match. The Lady Booters will look to bounce back when they face La Salle at 4:30 PM.

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Far Eastern University had every reason to celebrate after a dominant 4-0 victory over University of the Philippines in the UAAP Season 89 Collegiate Women’s Football Tournament last Saturday.

Instead, the final stretch of the match was overshadowed by a heated altercation that saw benches clear, punches thrown, and six players sent off in a chaotic few minutes that neither side wanted to remember.

Around the 72nd minute, a clash between FEU’s Kristine Dela Peña and UP’s Angelica Dizon sparked strong reactions from their respective teammates.

The situation quickly escalated, forcing the referees and coaches from both sides to hurry onto the pitch to restore order.

“Very unfortunate lang,” said Lady Tamaraws deputy Fitch Arboleda, who took charge of the team with head coach Let Dimzon out due to personal reasons. “Out of nowhere, nagdi-discuss kami kung sino ang i-su-sub namin para sa second wave sana ng system, pero nagulat lang kami.

“We really don’t know paano nangyari ‘yun. Learning din sa amin at sa mga players na ‘pag may mga ganung instances, try not to engage kasi, ‘yun nga, nakakaapekto sa mga sumusunod na games — and it’s not FEU.”

When order was restored, the referees, led by Meliton Pelayo, handed out three red cards to each team.

The Lady Tamaraws lost goalkeeper Blaine Barredo, Dela Peña, and Kyza Colina. Meanwhile, Mariel Sancho, Jessa May Aranas, and substitute goalie Ainnah De Guzman were dismissed for the Fighting Maroons.

There may still be additional suspensions for individuals from both camps, as match officials were still reviewing the incident after the match.

With just nine players for UP and eight players for FEU, the game resumed and finished without any further incidents.

(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team

“Siguro ‘yung nangyari, ‘yung commotion lang kanina, I think it was from even before it started — it was the heat of the moment,” said UP assistant coach Jerold Facturanan, who took over while head coach Anto Gonzales served his one-game suspension.

“Mainit na ‘yung laro. Same time, may mga nag-react violently. Pero after the game, magkakakilala naman sila, so ano talaga, it’s just part of the game. Heat of the moment lang, kaya nagkainitan, kaya nagkaabutan,” he continued.

“But for both teams, I think it was harsh na ‘yung game parang six red cards ang nakuha. I think it was a bit harsh, lalo na sa mga players namin na, for me, ‘di ko naman nakita sila na nag-react violently. So it was unfair for both teams.”

Once Pelayo blew the full-time whistle, however, the tension that had defined the final stages of the match gave way to sportsmanship.

Both teams performed the customary handshake and showed good sportsmanship toward one another, taking it upon themselves to move past the incident and make peace after an ugly sequence of events.

For FEU, it is a matter of charging the incident to experience and ensuring there will be no repeat in its upcoming matches.

“Well, it’s part of the game,” said Arboleda. “Kahit ako rin naman, naka-experience na ako niyan before — much worse pa. But again, of course, we will learn definitely. So ‘yun na lang, i-look forward na lang namin. Of course, we will adjust for the coming next games. Yes, let’s see kung paano namin gagawan ng paraan.

” Again, it’s a challenge na kailangan namin i-look forward.”

On the other hand, UP pointed out that camaraderie and sportsmanship ultimately prevailed over any feelings of contempt when the match ended.

“At the end of the day, ‘yung football community sa Philippines, maliit lang, e,” said Facturanan. “So magkakakilala naman talaga sila. Kahit during the game, makikita mo talaga sila — ‘yung pride talaga, ‘yung challenge kung challenge. Then after the game, magkakakilala sila. Some of them former teammates pa or magkababayan pa.

“So proud din ako for both teams na after, nagkamayan na, na okay. Naging okay din after nung nangyari.”

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Far Eastern University wasted little time reminding everyone why it has been the dominant force in collegiate women’s football, opening its bid for a fifth consecutive UAAP championship with a commanding 5-0 victory over debuting National University on Wednesday evening at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

The result also marked a historic moment for the Lady Bulldogs, who played their first-ever UAAP women’s football game as the league welcomed NU to the competition.

FEU had to wait until the second half to pull away, scoring four goals after a tightly contested opening period in which NU showed plenty of fight in its UAAP debut.

(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team

Marienell Cristobal, a FEU homegrown in her last playing year, provided the spark from set pieces, delivering pinpoint corner kicks that Althea Rebosura and Kristine Dela Peña headed home in the 25th and 51st minutes, respectively.

Substitute midfielder Angelie Tolosa then added to NU’s woes in the 66th minute, calmly finishing inside the box to give the Lady Tamaraws a 3-0 advantage.

Julie Sacmar followed with a right-footed strike in the 81st minute before defender Kyaneza Abellar capped FEU’s dominant display with an 89th-minute goal.

For FEU coach Let Dimzon, the emphatic victory was an encouraging way to begin the season, particularly after she was able to give valuable minutes to her reserves.

“We wanted to keep the quality and the standard of the game,” said Dimzon. “We’re happy with the result because of our second stringers. It means that they wanted to be in that spot; it’s a good wake-up call for the starting 11.”

The Lady Tamaraws controlled much of the proceedings, particularly in the attacking third, leaving goalkeeper Blaine Marie Barredo with little to do for much of the afternoon.

NU goalkeeper Quenie Aira Magarso, meanwhile, was kept busy throughout the match and made several important saves to keep the scoreline from ballooning further as the Lady Bulldogs endured their first taste of UAAP competition.

The victory extended FEU’s winning streak to 14 matches and its unbeaten run to 33 games dating back to Season 85.

Still, Dimzon stressed the importance of giving her younger and less experienced players opportunities early in the campaign rather than relying solely on the team’s established starters.

“Sa mga second stringers, especially new players, they need to get more exposure to the game,” said Dimzon. “Some of them, this is their first match kase di lahat naglalaro ng 11-a-side, so now nakikita natin kung ano nako-contribute nila and nabibigay (yung best) nila into the game.”

FEU will try to make it two wins in a row when it faces the University of the Philippines at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday at the same venue.

NU, meanwhile, will look to regroup from its historic debut when it takes on the University of Santo Tomas in the 2 p.m. opener on the same day.

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