THE ATENEO Men’s Football Team (AMFT) put on a flawless performance on both ends of the field as they dominated the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors, 3-0, earlier today at the University of the Philippines Diliman Football Field in Quezon City.
This win caps off the Blue Eagles’ group stage at a 3-2-0 win-draw-loss card in Ang Liga Season 19. The AMFT will advance to the quarterfinals as the second seed in Group B.
Following two previous stalemates in the preseason tilt, the Blue and White came out on a mission to return to their winning form. The fourth minute saw Ateneo capturing an early advantage courtesy of Ghanaian striker Kofi Agyei’s goal, 1-0.
Retaining their aggression on the attacking end, Galen Fernandez saw an opportunity to send a powerful cross after stifling the UE defense, feeding Agyei whose shot skied above the crossbar at the 19th minute.
However, Ateneo’s great ball movement in the midfield was rewarded in the 39th minute, as a connection from midfielder Leo Maquiling to Dov Cariño eventually found its way back to Agyei. With only the Red Warriors’ keeper in his way, the striker notched a brace after sending an effortless shot to give the AMFT a comfortable advantage, 2-0.
Ten minutes past the halftime break, an excellent chance by Maquiling was broken up as the opposing keeper parried away the attempt. Recovering quickly, the midfielder regained control of the ball and found Agyei for a dazzling strike to claim his first hat-trick of the season, 3-0.
With weather conditions causing a potential hazard for the players on the pitch, the match was stopped at the 75th minute. When the play resumed after almost an hour, neither side managed to find the back of the net for the rest of the match. Given this, the AMFT claimed its first preseason win in over a month.
The Blue Eagles will look to build on their winning momentum as they head to the quarterfinals. As of writing, both the schedule and venue for the upcoming game have yet to be announced.
