THE ATENEO Men’s Football Team (AMFT) concluded the second round notching a late 2-2 draw against the top-ranked University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons on Thursday, April 19, at the Rizal Memorial Football Field, Manila.
The Blue Eagles end the elimination round with a 10-2-2 record, good for second place, and +21 goal difference in Season 80 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Football Tournament. UP enter the Final Four at the top of the table, boasting a 10-4-0 record. Ateneo will face the third-ranked University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers in the Final Four.
Ateneo Head Coach Jaypee Merida opted not play nominal starters Jarvey Gayoso, Jayrah Rocha, Enzo Ceniza, and Nino Herrera, who were each one yellow card away from suspension. Paolo Alilam, Ged Poe, Joshua Laud, and Rupert Baña started in their places.
The matchup between the Katipunan rivals kicked off with a fast-paced start. UP’s electric wing duo of JB Borlongan and Fidel Tacardon stretched Ateneo’s back four to the byline and threatened multiple times with incisive dribbling to get into the box.
Borlongan was first to fire a warning shot in the sixth minute, but Ateneo keeper AJ Arcilla stood up well to smother the low drive.
[First Half]
6’ – Borlongan weaves through the Ateneo defense and finds an opening inside the box, but Arcilla denies his powerful effort!
Ateneo 0 UP 0#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/en51Lp00EL
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) April 19, 2018
With UP dominating the ball early, the Blue Eagles set up to use their energy on the counter. In the 16th minute, Ateneo striker Alilam hustled into the opposition half to chase down a long clearance before being taken down on the right flank.
Baña floated in a pin-point free kick for Jimi Haosen to glance home the opener.
16’ – GOAL! Haosen loses his marker and skies for the header!
Ateneo 1 UP 0#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/epvr4U268K
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) April 19, 2018
Undeterred, UP kept the pressure on with Tacardon emerging as their most dangerous option. Tacardon lurked in the channel between left side defenders Carlitos Mathay and Justin Dy, ready to break away on switch passes in behind.
His shifty dribbling proved a handful to deal with leading to UP winning a penalty in the 23rd after being clipped by Julian Roxas. Jose Clarino stepped up and sent Arcilla the wrong way from the spot to tie the score at 1-1.
23’ – Tacardon manuvers his way past two defenders and draws a penalty! Roxas gets booked for the trip.
Ateneo 1 UP 0#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/nBvN1ChUOY
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) April 19, 2018
24’ – Goal for UP. Clarino sends Arcilla the wrong way to bring the Fighting Maroons level.
Ateneo 1 UP 1#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/rQd9QpHsc4
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) April 19, 2018
After their opening salvo, neither side threatened before the halftime whistle. UP controlled most of the possession, yet Ateneo was compact enough in the middle and did well to isolate the opposition when play shifted wide.
The deadlock was broken just seven minutes after the break, though it was the Fighting Maroons who found the net. A clever chipped pass found Tacardon streaking towards the middle. The winger caressed the ball with a deft touch, swiveled, and steered a sharp half-volley past Arcilla.
52’ – Goal for UP. Tacardon displays his composure with a rocket past Arcilla.
Ateneo 1 UP 2#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/vbjSqahSpb
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) April 19, 2018
Now in firm control of the match, UP was more than content to shuffle the ball sideways without posing any real threat going forward. Meanwhile, the Blue Eagles kept up their energetic pressing, especially through Baña, Haosen, and rookie Laud, though any attempt to break away in the counter was quickly contained by the Fighting Maroon’s back line.
The match burst back into life in the last 10 minutes, as both sides played out a thrilling final stretch. With Ateneo bombing men forward in search of a late equalizer, Arcilla was left exposed in the 84th minute. The Blue Eagle keeper charged out of the area in a desperate attempt to clear, but picked up a booking for handling the ball.
84’ – Arcilla bursts out of goal to stop the UP counter, but is booked for a handball.
Ateneo 1 UP 2#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/AUZqc9Mdyz
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) April 19, 2018
The Blue Eagles were finally rewarded for their dogged second half showing in the 88th minute, once again from a set piece. Substitute Koko Gaudiel placed a deep free kick into the UP box. Trapped in a crowd, UP keeper Harel Dayan misjudged his leap, leaving the ball for Laud to bundle home his first UAAP goal for the Blue and White and see the match out for a draw.
88’ – GOAL! Laud pounces on the ball off the deflection for the late equalizer!
Ateneo 2 UP 2#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/6GLgHTOCWN
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) April 19, 2018
“It’s a good result for us, even if we didn’t get the three points,” said Merida. “Ang importante doon was how the players handled the pressure against UP. ‘Yun palagi ‘yung worry: kung ano ang magiging approach ng team. [I saw] from the start, nag-set sila ng magandang attitude sa loob ng field.” (The worry was how the team would be the approach of the team against UP. I saw from the start that they set a good attitude inside the field.)
Ateneo’s match against UST in the Final Four is scheduled to be on Thursday, April 26, 4:00 PM, at the Rizal Memorial Football Field, Manila.
Starting XIs:
Ateneo: Arcilla (GK); G. Poe, Grierson, Dy, Mathay; Laud, Haosen, Roxas, Nacional; Baña, Alilam
UP: Dayan (GK); Abraham, Bonoan, Ju. Clarino, Jo. Clarino ; Lapas, Saavedra, Magdato; Borlongan, Resuma, Tacardon
Substitutions:
57’ – Roque on for Roxas
67’ – Gaudiel on for Dy
74’ – J. Poe on for Nacional
83’ – Castillo on for Alilam
Yellow Cards:
23’ – Roxas
84’ – Arcilla
