Matalo na sa lahat,’wag lang sa……” – that half a century old dogma must have been lingering in every booter on the field.
At the final whistle, the Animo was stronger than the mini-fights their rivals could muster.
The UAAP Season 87 Women’s Football rivalry between De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University wrote another chapter on Saturday, as La Salle’s Angelica Teves delivered the lone goal in a 1-0 win at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.
And what better way to do it than with a penalty? Teves calmly converted from the spot in the 18th minute, capitalizing on a foul inside the Ateneo box. One kick, one goal, and a three-point haul in the bag.
For La Salle coach Alvin Ocampo, it wasn’t a pretty performance—but it didn’t need to be. The three points mattered more than anything else. “The objective really was to win,” Ocampo admitted post-match. “Getting the three points was very important. They played badly, but they managed the game.” It was a clear admission that this wasn’t their best showing, but when you’re on an 11-game winning streak against your arch-rivals, you take the result however it comes.
La Salle’s dominance over Ateneo stretches all the way back to Season 78. The last time the Blue Eagles toppled the Lady Booters was a 2-0 victory in Season 77, way back on December 14, 2014. That match saw goals from Aina Martin and now-assistant coach Cam Rodriguez. The tables have turned, and since then, it’s been La Salle’s show.
The second half wasn’t short on drama either. National team star Shai del Campo thought she’d doubled La Salle’s lead in the 52nd minute, only for the linesman’s flag to wipe out her effort due to offside. Later on, substitute midfielder Aliexa Mae Casi had two golden chances to put the game beyond reach, but her aim wasn’t as sharp as her movement—two shots, two misses.
Despite those misses, La Salle’s third consecutive victory puts them firmly at the top of the standings with nine points and a plus-5 goal difference, securing a grip on the leaderboard. Even with key defender Maye Mendaño absent due to her graduation, the Lady Booters proved they could grind out results.
Looking ahead, La Salle has circled October 30 on their calendar for a rematch of last season’s final against defending champions Far Eastern University. “We’ve got time to prepare for that match,” Ocampo said. “It’s back to training and preparation. Still a long season to go.”
As for Ateneo, things aren’t looking as rosy. They remain bottom of the five-team competition, with zero points and a minus-5 goal difference. They’ll look to bounce back this Saturday against the University of Santo Tomas, but it’s safe to say that this season hasn’t gone to script for the Blue Eagles.
La Salle keeps soaring, Ateneo keeps searching—this rivalry, though, continues to deliver.
