All-important point enough to push Green Booters to the top of the UAAP Standings

Photo credits: UAAP

As intense as the summer heat was at the University of the Philippines football field, the battle for the all-important final-four spot in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85 between the UP Fighting Maroons and the DLSU Green Booters.

The Fighting Maroons were aggressive in the first 15 minutes of the match as they utilized both wings and threatened the goal of Enrico Mangaoang. However, they would see a dip in their morale come the 21st minute. Charles Lobitaña committed a handball inside the box resulting in a penalty that was then converted by DLSU's current top goalscorer Mikio Umilin.

The Green Booters would continue using their advantage but the hosts would not simply back down. Come the 43rd minute of the match, the Fighting Maroons took advantage of John Vincent Eduave's absence in defense as he received a booking that allowed Emilion Bongolan to feed a ball to the onrushing Francis Tacardon who then converted the equalizer from point-blank range.

The second half started with end-to-end action with Christian Peñalosa almost capitalizing on the mistake of the Fighting Maroon's defense in the 49th minute but his shot went straight to Chevey Celeste. A minute later, Tacardon found himself with acres of space down the left wing but nobody would get to his cross inside the box. In the 53rd minute, Arturo Alleje won the tussle just outside the box before passing the ball to Anton Guariña whose shot went wildly over the bar.

The Green Booters found themselves in another goal-scoring position in the 60th minute thanks to the miscommunication between Celeste and his defense as he handled a back pass to him which gave DLSU their indirect free-kick. However, the wall of Diliminan saved the blushes of Celeste as they blocked a shot from Mohammad Almohjili.

A continuous exchange of attack saw the Fighting Maroons and the Green Booters miss each other's chances for the go-ahead goal. In the 85th minute, Tacardon was found again by Bongolan only to be fouled just outside the box. Orlan Togores took responsibility for taking the free kick but his shot was saved by Mangoang. As the clock winds down, the Diliman-based squad kept on the offensive.

With two minutes left in regular time, Vincent Parpan delivered the corner inside the box which was met by Tacardon who was unmarked but his strike slightly went over the bar and over the reach of DLSU's Mangaoang.

While the boys in green kept on protecting the 1-1 scoreline, the Fighting Maroons piled on the pressure with six minutes of stoppage time. However, against the run of play, DLSU's Frank Anoh went on the counter of his own but his strike hit the side-netting in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

As the clock expired, DLSU and UP shared points in their second meeting of the season. However, the draw plays to the advantage of the Green Booters as they propel themselves to the top of the standings via goal difference over rivals Ateneo De Manila University Blue Eagles.

The Green Booters are now in a position where they can extend the gap at the top of the pecking order as they face Far Eastern University Tamaraws on the 23rd of April with the Tamaraws coming in with a huge morale boost after an eight-nil victory against the University of the East Red Warriors last April 16, 2023.