CVC Overcome De La Salle 2-1 to Reach Open Division Final

On the biggest stage NCS has to offer, CVC delivered a composed and disciplined performance to defeat De La Salle 2–1 in the Open Division semifinal, booking their place in the final after a fiercely contested clash between two of the section’s top sides.

From the opening whistle, the intensity reflected the occasion. Preston Spalasso (#23) worked to settle De La Salle into rhythm in midfield, while Giovanni Martinez-Negrete (#23) immediately looked to impose himself for CVC, finding pockets of space and linking play between the lines. Both sides showed early composure on the ball, but it was clear the margins would be razor thin.

The breakthrough came with 32 minutes remaining in the first half. Martinez-Negrete found space in the attacking third and delivered a sharp ball into the area, where Walter Galindo (#4) arrived to finish confidently and give CVC the lead. The goal capped off a stretch of patient buildup, with CVC comfortable playing out of pressure and committing numbers forward at the right moment.

De La Salle responded almost instantly. Nicholas Varela (#15) brought the Spartans level at 1–1 just minutes later, finishing off a well-worked attacking phase that reignited the semifinal atmosphere and swung momentum back toward the green and white.

The remainder of the half unfolded at a relentless pace. Yousaf Mahmood (#8) controlled stretches of possession for CVC, rarely surrendering the ball in midfield, while Rohman Mahmood (#9) continually tested the defensive line with sharp movement. De La Salle nearly found a second before halftime when Calvin Virgilio (#10) rose inside the six-yard box and sent a header narrowly off target — a chance that underlined just how evenly matched the contest had become.

The decisive moment arrived with 34 minutes remaining in the second half. Once again, Martinez-Negrete provided the spark, threading a perfectly weighted through ball into Rohman Mahmood’s path. Under pressure and with defenders closing, Mahmood showed outstanding composure, taking a controlled touch before rounding the goalkeeper and finishing calmly into the open net to restore CVC’s advantage at 2–1.

As the clock wound down, the match grew increasingly physical and urgent. CVC pressed for breathing room, while De La Salle pushed numbers forward in search of an equalizer, generating two late ricochet chances inside the six-yard box — one flashing just wide and another drifting narrowly over the bar in the dying moments.

In the end, CVC’s composure in decisive moments proved the difference in a semifinal worthy of the Open Division stage.

Final Score: CVC 2–1 De La Salle