After an eventful first round, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Football Tournament’s final stretch of eliminations is currently underway. This recap will analyze the state of the Ateneo Blue Eagles as they continue on their quest to reclaim the throne for the first time in five years.
The Ateneo Men’s Football Team (AMFT) is currently off to a better start in UAAP Season 86 compared to the previous season, where they made a run all the way to the Finals, ending this season’s first round at 11 points. However, with the league’s top contenders improving at the same rate, the Blue Eagles will have to take it up a notch to confidently seal a Final Four slot.
Midway through the season, Ateneo hopes to finish off and close out the eliminations with consistency after mixed results in their previous week of action. The Blue Eagles trounced the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors on March 21, with both midfielders Andy Roxas and Leo Maquiling scoring for the first time this season, and Maquiling further copping an impressive brace.
However, when the squad from Loyola Heights faced a familiar foe in the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws on March 24, Ateneo faltered once again to the only team that has dealt them a loss this season.
These results currently place the Blue and White at the third spot in the standings with 14 points, one point behind the University of the Philippines (UP).
- Past the Proving Grounds
Photo courtesy of the UAAP Media Team
Alfonso: As of writing, the AMFT currently sits at an imposing position of third place, behind UP and FEU. With a high spot in the tournament table, the Blue and White have proven to be capable of competing against any squad in the UAAP.
The Blue Eagles’ most notable wins came from a 4-0 thrashing against UE, and a nail-biting 1-0 win against UP. These imposing victories come from the stellar first-round performances of the key cogs in Ateneo’s unit, Maquiling, Kofi Agyei, and Artuz Cezar.
Although the Blue and White have set themselves as a premier team in the tournament, they have to make the necessary adjustments on both ends to keep up with an increased level of competition in the second round. With hopes of a championship in mind, the Blue Eagles must take caution in the next fixtures if they are to make a strong bid for a twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals. Any upset in the future could prove fatal for the AMFT’s aspirations of earning a top spot on the table come playoff time.
With the uncertainty that may come as the first round opens, the AMFT may need to look to their star power on both ends of the field to maintain a high spot in the tournament. If anything, the Blue Eagles’ potent combination of talent and experience will let them close the final stretch of the tournament’s round-robin eliminations.
- The Great Wall of Cezar
Photo courtesy of the UAAP Media Team
Gershon: In a tight tournament where the current top three are within only four points of each other, every single goal can have huge implications on the standings heading into the Final Four. As the AMFT tries to keep on par with league leaders FEU and UP, Kofi Agyei’s goals are only one-half of the formula in earning the full three points in each game.
Other top teams also boast elite goalscorers, with the Tamaraws enjoying the services of attacking duo Martini Rey and Karl Absalon and the Fighting Maroons having super rookie Ramil Bation III in their arsenal. These three talented forwards are closely trailing Agyei’s second league-leading seven goals in the Golden Boot race, with Bation III netting the ball six times and both FEU attackers scoring four times each throughout their seven matches so far. With this wide pool of talented offensive players, each contender needs to have someone who can stop these strikers from scoring at will.
Currently leading the tournament with four clean sheets after the first eight fixtures, Blue Eagle goalkeeper Cezar has the knack for stopping strikers from scoring at will. The UAAP Season 85 Best Goalkeeper proved to be the most vital piece in the Blue Eagle defensive machine, providing match-winning saves for Ateneo time and time again.
In Ateneo’s matches against UP and University of Santo Tomas (UST), both fixtures ended with the Blue and White squeaking out 1-0 victories. Team Captain Jose Lopez and Jet Dela Cruz did their part in scoring goals, putting the Blue Eagles in position to take all three points in these two contests. With Ateneo already leading, Cezar took care of the rest by making critical saves to keep the opponents from scoring an equalizer.
Solidifying his case for back-to-back UAAP Best Goalkeeper awards, Cezar showcased not only his poise in captaining the Ateneo backline, but also his capability in making tough, acrobatic saves in the clutch.
In a second-half barrage of UP attacks, the Blue Eagle goalie managed to protect the Ateneo side from one shot on goal after another. Similarly, despite UST’s dominant second half offensively, Cezar’s goal-stopping prowess was on full display once again, coming up with another clean sheet to add to his impressive tally.
Having blanked his opponents four times already, Cezar’s clean sheets would prove to be crucial to the AMFT’s current position at the table, providing 12 of the current 14 points that the Katipunan-based XI hold. Additionally, these defensive masterclasses contributed heavily to a positive goal difference (GD) for the Blue Eagles, as they scored more (14) than they had conceded (8). With this, Ateneo currently sits at a +6 GD after eight games, which ranks second behind only FEU’s +10.
With how tight the UAAP table is currently looking, GDs could possibly come into play should there be point ties by the end of the season.
As the second round of Season 86 pushes on, the AMFT should continue to bank on the current form of Cezar on the football pitch. As the previous season recently proved, an Agyei-Maquiling-fueled offense, complemented by Cezar anchoring the defense, can propel the Blue Eagles into new heights and possibly a record-breaking ninth UAAP title for the Blue and White.
- Running it back
Photo by France Vicente
Luis: Despite key losses from the previous season, the Blue Eagles have managed to rack up more points this season through its first six games, thanks to the success of JP Merida’s program. Unlike other teams in Ateneo sports that have faced the inevitable hardships of rebuilding from the ground up, the AMFT have the luxury of a nearly-intact core from their previous year, along with rookies who have shown their prowess when needed.
Holdovers of Ateneo’s Finals run have stepped up in big ways, including Team Captain Lopez, who has been Ateneo’s second-leading goal scorer thus far, tied with Maquiling, with crucial goals against FEU and UP.
Lopez has also shown his composure throughout these pivotal fixtures, making him a key figure that the Blue and White can rely on when their backs are against the wall.
Additionally, one of the most anticipated players this season is Ghanaian striker Agyei, whose breakout rookie year paved the way for heightened expectations in Season 86.
Currently the league’s second-top goal scorer with a whopping seven markers and three assists, the striker has exceeded expectations thus far. However, he will need to continue building on his physicality as teams like FEU and DLSU aim to subdue the giant through brute force, similar to their Season 85 Finals bout.
As the Blue Eagles constantly make bank off their set pieces, the Blue and White faithful can rest easy knowing that midfielder Maquiling is on their side. The corner and throw-in specialist already has two assists and two goals this season. One of the most underrated aspects of the Cebuano’s game is his speed and agility, which he utilizes to be as effective on the defensive end. His two-way expertise was evident against DLSU, unafraid to burst onto the scene with a hard tackle.
Apart from Ateneo’s tried and tested offensive schemes, defenders like Dela Cruz and Jethro Flores have shown that defense is as important for the Blue Eagles, with the duo manning the fort for Ateneo in each match.
If the AMFT figures out how to consistently tap into the best parts of their game on both ends of the field, the Blue Eagles will eventually find themselves back in the Final Four if they continue to run it back and refine what has already been working for them over the past two years.
Although the task of making the Final Four will still be as tough as last year, Ateneo’s sights are set on what they have been waiting for 12 months—a chance to finally regain the throne after five long years.
Next week’s game:
Thursday, April 11, 6:30 PM, vs. University of Santo Tomas Golden Booters at the UP Diliman Football Stadium
Standings (Points, Goal Difference):
Updated standings as of April 11, 2024
- FEU Tamaraws (18, +10)
- DLSU Green Booters (15, +5)
- UP Fighting Maroons (15, +3)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (14, +6)
- UST Golden Booters (13, +7)
- UE Red Warriors (4, -18)
- AdU Soaring Falcons (3, -13)
