The DLSU Men’s Football Team booked their Final Four spot in dramatic fashion after leaving it late against the FEU Tamaraws.
In the first minute of added time on the final day, substitute Xavier Zubiri secured the victory by scoring his first goal of his collegiate career.
Prior to the game, the Archers were aware that a win would be enough to take them into the semifinals. It did not come easy as they had to find a way to beat the FEU Tamaraws who could have gone on top of the table with a victory.
The goal by Xavier Zubiri that gives La Salle the 3rd seed in the final 4 and eliminates UST in the process. pic.twitter.com/fY5OVdoYag
— GoArchers (@GoArchers) May 2, 2019
“We managed to get the win. Happy for the result. Pasok kami sa Final Four. Attitude and character na yun eh,” Men’s Football Team Coach Alvin Ocampo stated after a pulsating match that could have gone either way.
Key midfield rookies Miko Umilin and Shanden Vergara were at the thick of things right away as they were eager to put DLSU in front. The closest the Archers got in breaking the deadlock came just before halftime. Umilin latched onto the ball from just outside the box but his goal bound effort was palmed away by FEU’s Dave Parac.
The tempo of the match gradually became more frenetic towards the last 15 minutes as the first goal would probably be enough to win the match.
Coming off the DLSU bench, John Rey Lagura had several glorious opportunities to win all three points for the Archers. The rookie misfired on his first two attempts shortly after coming on before being denied three more times in one attacking sequence.
The Archers looked destined to get a frustrating draw and an agonizing wait to the result of the next game which might require an undesirable playoff game.
All of those things went down the drain when the ball landed in front of Zubiri four minutes before stoppage time expired. With enough time and space to pick his spot, the rookie finished with composure and conviction to earn DLSU a semis rematch against the champions, UP Fighting Maroons, next Thursday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.