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BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Sunday, January 22, 2017
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MANILA – Connor Tacagni scored the go-ahead goal as the San Beda Red Booters captured the NCAA Season 92 men’s football crown with a 1-0 win over the College of St. Benilde Blazers on Tuesday night at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.
The Red Booters thus annexed its 22nd NCAA football championship, the most in the oldest collegiate league in the country. The Red Booters also finished the season without a loss in nine games.
Both the Red Booters and the Blazers had good chances to convert early in the game but the keepers from both squads were on point to defend their goals, forcing a two-halve extension period.
With a shootout between the two squads impending, the Red Booters scored on a marginal goal when Tacagni unloaded what looked like a cross that went its way into top corner at the 114th minute.
“I just tried to get into the box and it just went in. I was kinda lucky. A little bit lucky,” said the 23-year old Tacagni. “We really worked hard for the past three months and our hardwork paid off.”
The championship was first for young Red Booters head coach Nhiboy Pedimonte, who was determined to redeem his team from a painful defeat at the hands of the Arellano University Chiefs in Season 91 finale.
“Nag-set lang kami ng objective to just have win in every game. Kung may mga lapses, just improve sa [following] game,” Pedimonte said. “Hindi naming inisip yung resulta ng first round, nung second round. Ang importante is yung may matutunan kami.”
Red Booters’ Jay-R Sandoval was named the season MVP while Ralph Abriol got the Golden Boot award for scoring 11 goals in the season. Jerome Marzanwon the Best Midfielder honors while Ralph Datoy bagged the Golden Glove plum.
Meanwhile, dethroned football champions Chiefs salvaged a third place trophy with a 4-0 victory over the Lyceum of the Philippines Pirates. Charles Gamutan had a hat-trick while Spencer Galasa also found the back of the net for the Chiefs./PN
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