THE ATENEO Blue Eagles fell to the San Beda Red Booters in penalties, 5-6, after a 1-1 draw in regulation, to conclude their run at the inaugural 2025 Tuloy Invitational Cup in fourth place. The fixture was held earlier today, August 31, at the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus, Cavite.

Despite the loss, Liam Lanuza and goalkeeper Santi Pastor stood out in the heavily rotated Blue Eagles squad, with the former scoring Ateneo’s lone goal in regular time and the latter saving a penalty in the 70th minute.

In a similar fashion to each squad’s respective semifinal bouts, elite defense highlighted the early stages of the match. Both teams went back and forth, trading opportunities at the goal. However, San Beda gained steam by the 11th minute, sending multiple attacks towards Ateneo’s defenders.

Despite these advances, goalkeeper Santi Pastor ensured that the Red Booters remained scoreless, with timely saves and catches to thwart off any attacks from the invading Mendiola-based squad. In the 16th minute, a slide tackle from Ranzo Aljama, followed by a stellar defensive sequence from the Blue and White, capped off San Beda’s foray into the Blue Eagles’ attacking third.

Just a minute after, the first clear shot on target for Ateneo emerged when David Tenorio sent a great look in what could have been his unit’s first goal. However, the Red and White defense managed to block the attempt and head the ball away.

Towards the midway point of the first half, the Katipunan-based side was bombarded by the Red Booters’ ever-growing physicality. This aggression eventually led to multiple fouls being called on San Beda, while Ateneo was awarded consecutive chances via free kicks and corners.

Having gained possession for the better part of the half, the Blue Eagles were eager to bank on this offensive momentum to draw first blood. This opportunity finally arrived by the 39th minute with Liam Lanuza heading down the left flank, dispossessing the Red Booter defenders to send an excellent strike to give Ateneo the lead, 1-0.

Shortly after, the match was momentarily halted due to lightning in the area. The then-sunny skies turned into rainy conditions following the resumption of the match. 

Although San Beda attempted to equalize the match multiple times throughout the backend of the half, with possession remaining on their third of the pitch, the Blue Eagles managed to stave off the Red Booters until the halftime whistle blew.

As the second half commenced, the Red Booters continued to apply pressure, fashioning two quick chances within the first four minutes. However, Pastor was able to respond to the danger, catching the ball on both occasions.

With chances from Ateneo few and far between amid the increasing San Beda pressure, the Blue and White started to play their hands with 60th-minute substitutions, especially with the introduction of Kofi Agyei.

The entry of the Ghanaian striker onto the pitch brought a second wind to the Blue Eagles as his pace and directness stretched the Red Booter defense and dragged markers out of their positions. Agyei almost singlehandedly doubled Ateneo’s lead in the 67th minute, nearly forcing a San Beda goalkeeping error with his pressing, but the Red Booters were able to maintain composure.

With 20 minutes left in the game, disaster almost struck as the Katipunan-based XI nearly gave San Beda a lifeline due to a handball in their own box, but Pastor was able to stand firm and save AJ Lampines’ spot kick. Undeterred by the missed chance, San Beda continued to create pressure with their vertical passes, culminating in Kirby Tabelin equalizing for the Red Booters in the 75th minute, 1-1.

The rest of the half then became an end-to-end game, with both teams constantly trying to beat each other with speedy counter-attacks. With the game still at a deadlock by the full-time whistle, the contest then transitioned into a penalty shootout.

The shootout continued to be a nerve-wracking affair, with sudden death being required after both teams scored their first five kicks each. However, with Lucas Aurelio’s shot being saved and San Beda’s Carl Detoya converting his in the sixth round of penalties, the Blue and White ended their tournament run in fourth place.

Speaking on the team’s overall performance, Head Coach JP Merida said that the biggest takeaway from the tournament was gaining a better understanding of his players despite an abbreviated preparation period.

“Once [the recruits] were officially Ateneo students, we started to complete all the players in August. It’s a very short period, but of course, that’s what we need to do. […] We were able to play as a team, [and] we were able to see what needs to be improved,” Merida said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Following their fourth-place finish, the Blue Eagle coaching staff looks to evaluate their performance in deciding the final 23 for their roster. With a slew of promising rookie performances and star showings throughout the squad, the Blue and White hope to use this result as a foundation for the start of their UAAP Season 88 campaign this September.