The Ateneo Men’s Football Team (AMFT) stands unchallenged in their University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 campaign after thumping the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Booters, 2-0. The matchup took place earlier today at the UP Diliman Football Stadium in Quezon City.
With this triumph, the AMFT rises to a 5-0-0 win-draw-loss standing in the group stage of the UAAP Men’s Football tournament.
The first half kicked off with Ateneo demonstrating exceptional composure under pressure, as both teams engaged in a relentless battle for possession. Within the opening minutes, standout forward Dov Cariño surged toward the penalty box, delivering a precise pass to midfielder Joaquin Collo, whose shot sailed just over the crossbar.
With the narrowly-missed opener, UST’s defense responded swiftly, shutting down several crosses from Leo Maquiling and Cariño between the 7th and 15th minutes to stifle Ateneo’s offensive momentum. Despite the Golden Booters’ tenacity, the Blue Eagles maintained a firm grip on the game, expertly closing down spaces and intercepting UST’s passes.
The next phase of play saw a series of clearances from both teams, but the Blue and White continued to press high. In the 26th minute, defender Jethro Flores drove forward and whipped in a cross to forward Matti Roxas who sent his shot over the bar, squandering a key opportunity. Just a minute later, the España-based squad mounted a counterattack with TJ Garciano bursting into the box, only to be halted by Team Captain Maquiling’s timely intervention. With UST looking to pour on the offense, Golden Booter Chris Valderama followed up with a strike in the 29th minute but narrowly missed the target.
Both sides continuously wrestled for control, with further attempts failing to find the back of the net. Subsequently, veteran keeper Artuz Cezar comfortably gathered UST’s long-range effort at the 35th minute to keep the scoreline level.
However, the deadlock was finally broken in the 40th minute when a well-timed cross from Roxas found Cariño, who cleanly slotted home a tap-in to hand Ateneo a 1-0 advantage.
Following the opening goal, intensity rose as both teams tightened their defense. In added time, chances from Cariño, midfielder Galen Fernandez, and UST’s Valderama all came close, but neither side managed to alter the scoreline before the halftime whistle.
Coming into the second half, the Golden Booters greeted the Katipunan-based squad with a renewed sense of ardency. Deviating from their first-half gambits, the España-based side opted to press high in hopes of finding the equalizer.
Despite UST’s sustained incursions, keeper Cezar anchored the backline with pivotal saves in the 52nd and 63rd minutes, fending off quality looks in the area.
The Blue Eagles’ frontline proved to be an undeniable force as Maquiling and Cariño’s deft maneuvers threatened the UST box. In the 73rd minute, Maquiling found himself in a comfortable position to extend Ateneo’s lead, but UST keeper Jose Abada was quick to shut the Blue Eagle’s efforts.
Nonetheless, the Blue and White kept pouncing and relied on their persistent midfield composure to keep the Golden Booters at bay.
In the 89th minute, the Golden Booters were awarded a free-kick from close range. With an imminent equalizer in the stands, the Ateneo backline held their ground to repel a brilliant off-piece effort.
The Blue Eagles then forged a rapid counter-attack with a sublime cross from the left flank that sent the UST backline into a frenzy. As the opposing defenders scrambled, Collo stayed collected and drilled an effort at the gaping goalpost, putting the nail in UST’s coffin and securing the 2-0 victory.
Sharing his thoughts on the Blue Eagles’ fifth consecutive victory, Collo noted how his personal feat sets up bigger expectations for him to perform better in the second round.
“I feel amazed [by] these games, since for the past few games, I’ve been wanting to score. Now [that] I got my first goal of the season, I’m expecting more goals for the second round,” he shared.
The Blue Eagles aim to cap off the first round of UAAP Season 87 unscathed as they go up against the University of the East Red Warriors on Thursday, October 24, at 6:30 PM in the same venue.
Starting XI:
Ateneo (2): Cezar (GK), Maquiling (C), Cariño, Dela Cruz, Escobin, M. Roxas, Flores, Arias, Collo, Bengson, Fernanded
UST (0): Abada (GK), Garciano (C), Alegre, Belluga, Ramos IV, Selarde, Baito, Valderama, Elopre, Vercide, Garcia
Standings – Points (Goal Difference):
- ATENEO Blue Eagles – 15 (+10)
- FEU Tamaraws – 9 (+6)
- UST Golden Booters – 9 (0)
- DLSU Green Booters – 7 (-2)
- UE Red Warriors – 7 (-3)
- UP Fighting Maroons – 6 (+3)
- AdU Soaring Falcons – 0 (-14)
