Season Recap
THE ATENEO Men’s Football Team (AMFT) had a shaky start to the season, dropping their opener against the University of the Philippines (UP) and their fourth match to the University of Santo Tomas (UST), with victories against National University (NU) and the De La Salle University (DLSU) sandwiched in between.
Since then, the team has gone unbeaten in nine matches, garnering eight wins and a lone draw against La Salle to feed a 10-1-2 win-draw-loss slate with a +21 goal differential. Nearing the end of the eliminations, the Blue Eagles sit at second on the tables behind the Fighting Maroons, setting the stage for a heated finale at the Battle of Katipunan as neighbors clash for the top spot.
Upcoming Match
University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons – Thursday, April 19, 4:00 PM
1. Composure in crunch time
Seventy-one minutes into Ateneo’s gripping 5-4 victory over the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws, midfielder Niño Herrera burst from behind to intercept a weak pass from Donggyu Jung, orchestrating an opportunity for the Blue Eagle striker duo to feast on a muddled FEU defense. Forward Jimi Haosen received the ball and, still in stride, spun a pinpoint pass to Jarvey Gayoso, who then duped a pair of defenders with a return backheel to his streaking teammate. Haosen capitalized on the opportunity with a calm finish, sealing the victory with a two-goal cushion.
71’ – GOAL!!! 😱😱😱 Herrera, Haosen, and Gayoso combine brilliantly to tear FEU apart. Gayoso’s genius backheel sets Haosen up to cap off a ruthless counter-attack.
Ateneo 5 FEU 3#UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/DHA46bEkim
— Joaquin A. Santos (@Joax_TheGUIDON) April 15, 2018
It was the kind of sequence that football savants marvel over. The flash of brilliance typified the more cohesive and fluid approach that the Blue Eagles have taken in their recent winning streak, boasting a far cry from the languor that colored their initial struggles.
In Ateneo’s first four fixtures, there was a noticeable lack of attacking spirit. Problems were rooted in the marked disconnect between the backline and attack. Defensive schemes deployed by the opposition in both of Ateneo’s losses targeted the the Ateneo midfield by congesting the center of the pitch, forcing the Blue Eagles to rely on long balls from the back to their forwards. When the Blue Eagles channeled play wide to compensate for the compact defense, their crosses were ineffective with the attacking duo of Gayoso and Haosen isolated in the box.
The tide finally turned after a 5-0 rout of the Red Warriors, and the team has not looked back since. The Blue Eagles have upped the volume of shots per match by almost 50%, increasing from 10.5 to 15.7 in their last nine matches, per stats provided by AMFT managers Davin Cuaso, Nathania Rockwood, and JP Oracion. Their accuracy has improved as well, with the number of shots on target per match doubling across the same period from an average of 3.0 to 7.2.
The rediscovery of their mojo can be traced to Coach Jaypee Merida’s restoration of the 3-5-2 formation as opposed to the traditional four-man defense utilized early in the season. The added width from the wing-backs draws opposing defenders away from the center, giving the skillful midfield trio of Enzo Ceniza, Julian Roxas, and Herrera space to dictate. The flexibility of this shape creates a perfect fit for a versatile Blue Eagle squad.
Magic from Haosen, the emblem of the second-round resurgence, has been another driver of their great form. Despite having notched four goals this season, the PAREF Springdale product is far from the typical out-and-out striker, making an impact instead with innate willingness to cover space and track back. Aided by an incredible work rate, Haosen has been phenomenal and has helped create chances by pressing immediately after Ateneo loses possession.
32’ – GOAL. Haosen intercepts an errant NU pass and finds Gayoso streaking on the left. Gayoso then waltzes through the NU defense to claim the lead! 🕺
Ateneo 2 NU 1 #UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/IN9GTrud3i
— Joaquin A. Santos (@Joax_TheGUIDON) February 11, 2018
His link-up play and ability to initiate counterattacks has made him a key cog, especially in the second half as a super sub. Haosen does not need the ball to be effective, staying productive with efficient off-ball movement, which makes him a perfect foil up top for Jarvey Gayoso.
Gayoso himself is having one of the most prolific seasons in UAAP history. He currently has 15 goals, six more than his award-winning campaign a year ago. Gayoso is on pace to match and surpass former FEU Tamaraw Eric Ben Giganto’s 16-goal season back in Season 77 (when UAAP Men’s Football first expanded to an eight-team field), averaging almost a goal and a half in the team’s nine-match hot streak.
Gayoso’s individual brilliance has lifted the Blue Eagles out of dangerous offensive lulls. His opener against DLSU, undeterred by the presence of seven defenders in the vicinity, is a perfect example of the ability to create something out of nothing:
GOAL! Jarvey Gayoso just dances around DLSU’s defense to get the Blue Eagles on the board! 1-0, Ateneo. #UAAPSeason80
LIVE NOW!
📺 ABS-CBN S+A 23, S+A HD 166, Liga Sky ch 86, Liga Sky HD 183
📱/💻 https://t.co/XFPcnyXWoM pic.twitter.com/fwUvADJQSr
— ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbnsports) February 15, 2018
His chip from 20 yards out against the Bulldogs, however, is perhaps his finest finish this season:
GOAL!!! Jarvey Gayoso with a RIDICULOUS strike up and over the keeper! 1-0, Ateneo! #UAAPSeason80
LIVE NOW!
📺: ABS-CBN S+A & LIGA
📱/💻 https://t.co/XFPcnyXWoM pic.twitter.com/tal4BT3tfp
— ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbnsports) March 8, 2018
Gayoso’s consistency at a high level has been one of the main components of the team’s success. However, the Blue Eagles are prone to attacking lulls as well, as lapses on the backline were present in their first-round struggles.
Against the bottom-ranked Adamson University (AdU) for instance, the Blue Eagles’ sluggish performance was masked by a pair of keeper errors from the opposition. In their first-round match against FEU, lackluster defending had them ship two goals in in less than a minute, proving that great counter-attacking teams can rip Ateneo’s defense to shreds.
The silver lining is that these problems are more on effort, communication, and tactics rather than personnel. Coach Jaypee Merida has an arsenal of skill at his disposal, wielding the same battalion of players that took the league by storm a year ago. Their season ender against UP will be a litmus test if the team can return to the same heights by toppling the giants of the league.
