WIT outlasts CPU in ILOPRISAA Tertiary men’s football finals

By: Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Western Institute of Technology football squad edged the Central Philippine (CPU) Golden Lions in an intense penalty-shootout, 8-7, in the 2019 ILOPRISAA Tertiary men’s football championship match.

Both teams were showed aggression on the defensive end as they attacked at every opportunity, with WIT firing long crosses anywhere from the pitch to force issue near CPU’s box.

CPU then started to pick-up their pace, having solid attempts but the WIT defense was just too tight, disregarding CPU’s quickness every time they got stuck in the corners.

Nearing the end of the first half, WIT then made it a slugfest as they started to adjust with the Golden Lions’ defensive scheme.

20 minutes after the whistle was blown in the second half, WIT drew first blood courtesy of a wonderful cross from the left flank.

After the sweet cross, a WIT player then assisted the goal with a lobbed header followed by a right kick tap inside the box.

With plans of retaliation, it did not take long for CPU to equalize as WIT’s goalkeeper committed a mental mistake, slipping the ball out of his hands for an easy take-away as a CPU player rushed to the box to score the equalizer, 1-1.

In the extra time both squads still failed to score, reaching the penalty shootout where WIT edged CPU, 8-7.

The WIT goalkeeper read CPU’s 8^th striker very well, predicting his attempt as he dove right to give WIT the victory.