FIL-BRIT Connor Tacagni scored two goals to lift San Beda College to a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over upset-conscious Lyceum of the Philippines University yesterday, boosting its sweep bid in the 92nd NCAA football tournament at the Rizal Football Field.
With the Red Booters down by a goal after LPU’s striker Riel Mark Subebe came through on a set piece on the 15th minute, Tacagni, a 24-year-old native of Manchester, England, came to the rescue and unloaded a pair of rockets—one coming on the 41st minute and the other on the 81st.
“I just focused on helping my team win,” said Tacagni.
It was a win that pushed the Red Booters closer to sweeping their way to the championship after winning all their matches in the first round to win the opening-round pennant.
San Beda faces off with defending champion Arellano University tomorrow and St. Benilde next week and if it could hurdle both teams, it will clinch a league-best 22 seniors titles.
And San Beda nearly blew it.
“I have to commend LPU, they prepared against us well,” said San Beda coach Michael Pediamonte.
In juniors’ action, Arellano University shocked reigning titlist La Salle-Greenhills, 1-0, on a 64th -minute goal by Kent Talam to stay in the title hunt.
The Junior Chiefs will need to beat the Junior Red Booters, who ruled the first round, tomorrow and top the Final Four for it forge a one-game title duel against the latter.
San Beda routed Letran, 5-0, on a hat-trick by Christopher Villanueva, to close in on its 17th juniors’ crown.
Games tomorrow
(Rizal Football Field)
8 a.m.- AU vs SBC (jrs)
10 a.m.- Letran vs CSB (jrs)
12 nn.- AU vs SBC (srs)
2 p.m.- LPU vs CSB (srs)
