Push Admin

What UP keeper Coline Acelo felt after stopping 'role model' Inna Palacios

Article (news)

Levi Joshua Jr. Verora

<p>The University of the Philippines women’s football team punched a ticket to the PFF Women’s Cup 2022 final after outlasting powerhouse Kaya FC-Iloilo in a pulsating penalty shootout, 5-4 last Sunday.</p><p>Although it was reserve Jazzy Borra who scored on the conversion that sent the Fighting Maroons to the championship match, a save by goalkeeper Coline Acelo against Inna Palacios also proved crucial.</p><p>Acelo precisely guessed and timed Palacios’ attempt, deflecting it as she dove to her left. At that point, UP and Kaya were tied at four goals apiece, before Borra was assigned to take the eventual game-winner.</p><p>The fourth-year Sports Science student went on to share how “kilig” she felt as she went toe-to-toe against no less than a national team mainstay.</p><p>“I should have been thrilled when I blocked that shot, but I hid my emotions until Jazzy scored. I was genuinely grateful and delighted I won that game,” shared Acelo.</p><p>“I’m just happy that I stayed composed throughout the game. I didn’t let my nerves affect my game. I stayed put.”</p><p>UP and Kaya played to a nil-nil battle after regulation and extra time, sending the match into penalties where Acelo and the rest of the Fighting Maroons made their mark.</p><p>“I was delighted with the outcome. After two hours of play, we managed to reach the final,” added the 23-year-old goalkeeper.</p><p>“Kaya was in control of that match, but we’re just grateful that we are able to defend and be compact and organized.”</p><p>Throughout the tournament, the shot-stopper has usually been head coach Anton Gonzales’ second-choice goalkeeper, which is why Acelo was surprised when UP’s long-time tactician opted to start her in the knockout semifinals.</p><p>“The week before, I didn’t really expect to be the first keeper so I really didn’t think about Kaya in-depth. I was shocked that Coach Anto picked me to start. His trust in me was overwhelming,” shared Acelo.</p><p>It was UAAP veteran Roxy Eduave who used to start in several of UP’s fixtures not only in the PFF Women’s Cup, but even in seven-a-side tournaments.</p><p>“She already played in the UAAP and I believe she’s stronger and more experienced,” said Acelo of her fellow goalkeeper.</p><p>“That’s why I didn’t know how to feel when Coach Anto selected me to start against Kaya. I thought, ‘Was he sure about this?’”</p><div><strong>-- Signature moment in young career --</strong></div><p>A native of Cagayan de Oro City, Acelo represented Northern Mindanao (Region 10) in the Palarong Pambansa along with Eduave during their high school days.</p><p>She went on to enroll at the Philippine Military Academy, before transferring to Diliman after one year. However, the COVID-19 pandemic took away her UAAP playing years, which is why the PFF Women’s Cup became a boost for her developing career.</p><p>Before staying in Manila, Acelo was already acquainted with Palacios’ reputation.</p><p>“I always hear about her. Everyone always talks about her when you talk about Filipina goalkeepers. She’s great, and she’s a role model for everyone – myself included,” spoke Acelo of the former two-time UAAP women’s football Best Goalkeeper.</p><p>“Sadly, I never had the opportunity to talk to her or meet her personally before this tournament.”</p><p>Getting the crucial stop against Palacios with stakes that high proved to be a signature moment of Acelo’s young and still developing career, as she bested a household name in the Philippine women’s football scene.</p><p>“Obviously, as someone who plays for UP, you dream of being a great goalkeeper in the UAAP and a national team player,” she added.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckh8T4kPK0t/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"> </div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckh8T4kPK0t/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div><div style="padding-top:8px"><div style="color:#3897f0;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:550;line-height:18px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckh8T4kPK0t/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckh8T4kPK0t/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by UP Women&#x27;s Football (@upwft)</a></div></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Acelo went on to take a picture with Palacios after the moment.</p><p>Ahead of the final on Saturday against FEU, Acelo hopes UP can sustain the momentum they garnered from taking down a women’s football giant and remain inspired as they go for the crown.</p><p>“The experience playing with Kaya FC, it’s a huge confidence booster for us because it’s not every day you get to face a team of their level. We learned a lot of lessons from a formidable opponent,” she closed.</p>

A save by goalkeeper Coline Acelo against Kaya FC's Inna Palacios was crucial to UP's semifinals win on Sunday.