THE BLUE Eagles capitalized on a pair of keeper errors in their 2-0 win over the Adamson University (AdU) Soaring Falcons in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Football tournament on Thursday, March 1, at the Rizal Memorial Football Field in Manila.
The win brings the Blue Eagles to a 4-0-2 record with a +8 goal difference. Ateneo remains third on the tables behind the University of the Philippines (UP), who stands at 5-1-0, and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) who stands at 4-1-1. The last place Soaring Falcons garnered their sixth straight loss (0-0-6).
From the first whistle to the last, the Blue Eagles expertly connected play across the entire pitch. Efficient and clever passing engineered acres of space out wide and behind the defense, but for all their great play, the killer instinct eluded them in the final third.
Ateneo’s challenging afternoon kicked off in the 4th minute, when wingback Mike Castillo bombed into the box from the right flank. With Jarvey Gayoso and Will Grierson streaming into the six-yard area, Castillo’s cut-back split through both runners and was cleared to safety.
In the 7th minute, Gayoso looked poised to send Ateneo ahead with a free-kick on the penalty box line, but his effort crashed against the wall. Determined not to be denied, Gayoso tried his luck again in the 21st minute, this time trying to catch Adamson keeper Carl Viray off his line, though Viray did just enough to palm the striker’s shot wide.
Tidy defensive work from Castillo found Koko Gaudiel in space in the 37th minute. Gaudiel slid a pass through for Grierson, who only had a defender and the keeper to beat. Grierson did well to shield possession and maneuver into a shot, but his low drive was smothered away.
37’ – Huge chance! Grierson is sent through by Gaudiel but his driven attempt at the goalmouth is blocked away!
Ateneo 0 AdU 0#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/OJcMJZVuYx
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) March 1, 2018
In the 39th minute, Julian Roxas found himself clear just by the penalty spot, but fired straight at Viray to send the Blue Eagles trudging into halftime with nothing to show for all their bright attacking play.
The Blue Eagles started the second half very brightly, feeling the building pressure to find the net as they slowly carved open the Adamson defense with relative ease. Fresh off the bench, Rupert Bana was unleashed down the right flank, but cracked his low shot off the right post in the 47th minute.
47’ – Baña breaks free on the right, but his shot deflects off the post!
Ateneo 0 Adamson 0 #UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/eTfN6jraO9
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) March 1, 2018
Bana drove forward again a minute later and swung in a teasing cross for Gayoso to pounce on. Gayoso touched, swivelled, and hit a volley inches wide of the top corner.
48’ – Gayoso nearly finds the opening goal! Baña swings in a great cross from the left. Gayoso touches and powers one inches wide of the top corner!
Ateneo 0 AdU#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/N8TvS9u9WB
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) March 1, 2018
Roxas finally willed the Blue Eagles ahead in the 61st minute. Lined up for a free-kick just outside the Adamson box, the captain swerved a shot around the wall that managed to bounce over a slipping Viray in goal.
61’ – GOAL! Ateneo finally claim the lead through Roxas’ masterful free kick!
Ateneo 1 Adamson 0 #UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/j1Q0xtNnV4
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) March 1, 2018
After Roxas put Ateneo ahead, the game slowed into a scrappy midfield battle, with neither team able to break through the other’s defensive line. The introductions of Enzo Ceniza, Jimi Haosen, and Mark Nacional injected energy back into the game and Ateneo grew comfortably in control.
Both teams seemed content to see out a 1-0 victory, but Ateneo found a second just before the final whistle blew. Gayoso aimed a hopeful free-kick into the corner, which Viray clumsily mishandled. Haosen darted away from a static Adamson defense and tucked the rebound home to punctuate a hard-earned victory for the Blue Eagles.
90’ + 2 – GOAL! Haosen pounces on the deflected Gayoso free kick and calmly slots it to the back of the net!
Ateneo 2 Adamson 0 #UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/quAeTyfQVJ
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) March 1, 2018
Head Coach Jaypee Merida was frustrated with the team’s performance, despite the win. “Sinabi ko sa loob ng dugout na, number one, hindi tayo pwede mag-relax (I told them in the dugout that we cannot relax),” he said. “Hindi tayo pwede maging overconfident kahit na sa bottom [of the table] ‘yung kalaban. Nagperform talaga ang Adamson. We’re lucky lang talaga sa set-pieces (We could not be overconfident even if our opponents are at the bottom of the table. We were simply lucky in our set-pieces).”
Starting XIs
Ateneo: Arcilla (GK); G. Poe, Rocha, Dy; Castillo, Gaudiel, Roxas (c), Herrera, Mathay; Gayoso, Grierson
Adamson: Viray (GK); De Guzman, Feliciano, I. Jumo, Lozano, Rabino; Bardaje, Ii Jumo, Martin, Pilarca; Dela Cruz
Substitutions
45’ – Haosen on for Grierson
45’ – Baña on for Castillo
60’ – Ceniza on for Gaudiel
64’ – Nacional on for Mathay
Yellow Card
21’ – Castillo
