La Salle's Chenny Mae Dañoso celebrates her goal against Ateneo in the UAAP Season 87 women's football tournament, November 23, 2024 at the UP Diliman Football Stadium. UAAP MediaMANILA -- For the fourth straight season, it will be De La Salle University against Far Eastern University in the UAAP women's football finals.
The Lady Booters punched their ticket to the championship game of Season 87 after barrelling past archrival Ateneo de Manila University, 5-2, on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.
Braces by Danielle Tanjangco and Maegan Alforque powered La Salle's win and sent them to their seventh straight Finals appearance, where they are seeking a 12th UAAP crown.
They will also try to deny FEU's bid for a women's football three-peat.
"Ayaw namin mag three-peat [ang FEU]. We have to reclaim the title," said La Salle head coach Alvin Ocampo.
READ: FEU women through to football final after routing UP
La Salle broke the goalless tie in the 21st minute after Chenny Mae Dañoso lobbed an excellent ball to Maegan Alforque who faked Ateneo goalkeeper Chelssy Casals to convert an easy goal.
Danielle Tanjangco made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute after shooting a perfect driven cross from Arantxa Trebol in the 32nd minute.
Coming after halftime, Alforque scored a brace off of a perfect right-footed finish that also extended La Salle's lead, 3-0.
In the 69th minute, Tanjanco then added another brace after thundering one past Casals to make it 4-0 for La Salle.
Ateneo's Angely Alferez converted two quickfire goals in the 77th and 81st to briefly give the Blue Eagles some life, but a screamer by Chenny Mae Dañoso in the 87th completed the scoring and dashed the Katipunan booters' hopes of a comeback.
Ateneo's woes continued as Midfielder Daniella Benitez was stretchered off in the 93rd minutes.
National team players Shai del Campo and Lyka Teves, fresh off their 2024 ASEAN Women's Futsal stint, came off the bench for La Salle in the second half.
La Salle overtook FEU in the standings after improving to 14 points on a plus-eight goal difference.
La Salle and FEU will battle it out for the top spot in a finals preview next Saturday at 6:30 PM at the same Diliman field.
Meanwhile, Ateneo remained at the bottom of the standings with four points on a minus-10 goal difference.
The Blue Eagles will conclude their Season 87 campaign also against FEU on Dec. 7, Saturday at 6:30 PM.