AFTER KICKING off their University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) championship defense with a draw against the University of the Philippines, the Ateneo Men’s Football team claimed their first win of the season in style after a 6-1 rout of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers on Sunday, March 8, at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila City.

The win puts Ateneo at third in the standings with a record of 1-1-0 and a +5 goal difference in the UAAP Season 82 Men’s Football Tournament.

First-half goals from Nino Herrera, Mark Nacional, Luca Alleje, and Sam Lim gifted the Blue Eagles a four-point cushion as they entered the break. Their dominance resumed in the second half after Herrera bagged another goal through a penalty. Despite Stephen Marasigan chipping in a lone goal for the Growling Tigers in the 69th minute, Jabez Setters quickly responded with another goal for Ateneo. 

Both teams got off to a slow start, but Ateneo began picking up the pace by generating a few chances. The Blue Eagles finally broke the deadlock in the 10th minute after Nacional and Alleje combined for a play that set up Team Captain Herrera for an outside-the-box goal that rocketed past the goalkeeper. 

In the 27th minute, Jimi Hoasen dazzled through his defender and dished out a dime for Nacional, who curled the ball into the bottom corner of the goal. 

The Blue Eagles found another gap in UST’s defense in the 4oth minute as Nacional spotted up Alleje for a smooth finish. Two minutes later, Lim tallied another goal off an assist from Herrera to end the half 4-0 in favor of Ateneo.

The Blue and White began the second half looking hungry for more goals. Herrera was awarded a penalty in the 53rd minute after a foul off a corner kick. The Blue Eagle stepped up and nicked in his second penalty of the season and second of the match. A rare lapse from Ateneo’s defensive line finally gave the Growling Tigers a way in from a 69th-minute free kick that led to a Marasigan header. 

Ateneo managed to increase their intensity after the substitute players stepped onto the pitch. Setters, who came off the bench, showed excellent technique as he guided Herrera’s freekick off the crossbar and into the net during the 75th minute for the final goal of the game.

The win displayed the attacking prowess possessed by the Blue Eagles, despite the void left by last season’s Most Valuable Player and top scorer Jarvey Gayoso. Moreover, they seemed to pick up momentum in their quest to defend their crown. “The team clearly showed what we believe in—to always stay hungry. We still do have a lot of things to improve on as a team, but we [as a whole team] will continue and do our best to represent the Ateneo and to make the whole community proud,” Herrera said confidently. With three goals and two assists in his first two games, the Team Captain has shown no signs of slowing down.

The Ateneo Men’s Football Team will seek to claim a second consecutive win as they prepare to face the Far Eastern University on Thursday, March 12, 6:30 PM at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila City.

Ateneo Starting XI: Arcilla (GK); W. Lopez, Grierson, Liao, J. Dy; Mercado, Herrera (c),  Nacional, Haosen; Lim, Alleje

UST Starting XI: Logronio (GK); Antiola, Ramos, Fuchigami (C), Orale; Dimacali, Laro, Nartey, Rafol; Pasion, Azares

Substitutions:

71’ – Setters in for Alleje

77’ – Mathay in for Lim

81’ – Fuentes in for Nacional

81’ – Guerrero in for Haosen

87’ – J. Lopez in for Grierson

88’ – R. Dy in for Mercado