UP gets even on UST with a second half fightback

Patricia Malonzo and Claudia Mendoza were mobbed by their UP teammates as they came from a goal down at the half to sink UST.

By Kevin Estrada

MANILA -- Reigning UAAP queens UP personified the UP Fight in them, taking down UST after coming from a goal down to start the second round of the women's football tournament at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The Lady Maroons bucked a halftime deficit with a three minute blitz at the restart, with two goals rejuvenated their title retention bid in getting a deserved revenge on their first round loss to the Tigresses in a 2-1 win that moved them to the fourth spot in the table with four points.

Both teams played the opening 45 with a more tentative approach in which they intended to keep possession to try to tire then out first to pounce on them later on.

However, Tin Cleofe came close to score the match's first in the 19th minute but Nicole Adlawan stopped them in a one-on-one situation.

What was once a boring first half ended in a colorful fashion for the season hosts, as Lemoran pounced on a Hazel Lustan through ball to get the Tigresses on the board first.

However the 1-0 half time lead disappeared at the restart, as Anto Gonzales' ladies began to pounce on the Tigresses with their pressing game that forced them to commit defensive errors which led to their second setback of the season.

In the 57th minute, halftime substitute Patricia Malonzo fired in the cross to Sofia Dungca, and the latter made no mistake from 12 yards to level the match, and three minutes later UP took the lead for good, Claudia Mendoza poked the ball home from close range after taking it away from UST custodian Nicole Reyes.

Adlawan preserved the scoreline and the three points by saving Hazel Lustan's free kick with eight minutes left.
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