THE ATENEO Blue Eagles produced a complete performance on their way to a 2-1 victory over De La Salle University (DLSU) in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Men’s Football tournament on February 15, at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila.
After registering their first three points of the season against National University (NU), the Blue Eagles found the winning formula once again against their Taft-based rivals. Jarvey Gayoso was a marksman in the second-half, producing two goals for the Blue and White, while DLSU’s Mauro Acot pulled one back for his side with just minutes to spare.
With the victory, Ateneo boosts its record to 2-0-1, but remains in fourth place-level on points with the Green Archers and three behind first-placed University of the Philippines (UP).
The first half was an even affair with neither side able to find a breakthrough. Both teams appeared to stand off each other for most of the half, wary of each other’s firepower. The Green Archers’ attacking trio of Yoshiharu Koizumi, Christopher Lawless, and Marcus Garcia played some nice exchanges on the edge of the box, but Ateneo’s backline tracked their runs well and crowded their space to snuff out any real danger. Most of DLSU’s threats came from diagonal crosses into the box, but goalkeeper AJ Arcilla was equal to every attempt.
Of the two sides, Ateneo generated the clearer chances. With DLSU working longer spells of possession, the Blue Eagles countered the offensives by inviting their opponents in and breaking forward upon turnovers. Enzo Ceniza was instrumental in these passages of play, doing well to shield possession and pick out piercing passes forward.
The Blue Eagles nearly got on the scoresheet in the 18th minute after Ceniza skipped away from three defenders and found Jimi Haosen with a smart lob, who took a touch and fired over with just the keeper to beat. Another big chance came Gayoso’s way with a few minutes left in the half. Mathay darted away from his marker on the left and clipped a great cross into the box. Gayoso rose and powered a header towards the bottom corner, but DLSU’s De Guzman produced a great diving save to keep the score locked at 0-0.
37’ – Chance! Mathay loses his marker and clips a cross into the keeper’s area. Gayoso’s header nearly finds the bottom corner!
Ateneo 0 DLSU 0#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/3OUoh4Q01z
— Joaquin A. Santos (@Joax_TheGUIDON) February 15, 2018
Gayoso would not be denied in the 50th minute. From deep left, he lost his defender with a feint, cut towards the middle, and fired low with his weaker foot to draw first blood.
50’ – GOAL! Gayoso takes the ball on the left flank, shakes his marker, cuts middle, and unleashes a strike into the bottom corner!
Ateneo 1 DLSU 0#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/s4VMImpoq8
— Joaquin A. Santos (@Joax_TheGUIDON) February 15, 2018
Ateneo’s lead nearly doubled in the 61st after Bana snuck the ball past an onrushing De Guzman. Haosen latched on and set himself to tuck it into an empty net, but sliced his attempt high and wide. Four minutes later, the Blue Eagles found their second courtesy of another moment of brilliance from Gayoso. Penned in by two defenders, the star striker managed to pluck a Ceniza lob from the air and send both Green Archers the wrong way before rippling the net on a right-footed half-volley.
65’ – GOAL! Ceniza dinks a pin-point pass forward. Gayoso cushions, takes it away from 2 defenders and fires low into the net!
Ateneo 2 DLSU 0#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/0pA1I4GbqO
— Joaquin A. Santos (@Joax_TheGUIDON) February 15, 2018
Now two goals behind their rivals, the Green Archers desperately needed to get back into the game. In response to the heightened pressure, the Blue Eagles sat deep and remained resolute in the back. Dy, Jeremiah Rocha, and William Grierson directed a solid defensive unit, limiting DLSU to punting hopeful passes into the box.
La Salle’s only conversion came in the 81st minute off a defensive error from G. Poe. Acot dispossessed him on the corner of the box, dribbled inside, and snuck in a curling shot beyond Arcilla’s reach. Conceding a goal seemed to make the Blue Eagles buckle down even more and secure a 2-1 win at full time.
“Knowing the history behind this rivalry, we’re always excited, we’re always ready,” said Captain Julian Roxas after the match. “Most of us in the team already know how big an occasion this is, so we just had to keep the team on the ground and focused.”
With two wins on the trot, the Blue Eagles gear up to face second-placed University of Santo Tomas (UST) on Sunday, February 18, at 3:00 PM at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila.
Starting XIs
Ateneo: Arcilla (GK); Grierson, Rocha (c), Dy; Bana, Herrera, Roxas (c), Ceniza, Mathay; Haosen, Gayoso
DLSU: De Guzman; Logarta, Brago, Villacin, Alcantara; Diamante, Siggaoat; Alegre, Koizumi, Garcia; Lawless
Substitutions
62’ – G. Poe on for Mathay
76’ – Lim on for Haosen
90’+4 – Castillo on for Bana; Alilam on for Ceniza
