THE ATENEO Blue Eagles suffered their first defeat in the Ang Liga Men’s Open Cup 2026, falling 1-3 to the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons – Ikot. The contest was held earlier this afternoon, May 16, at the Circuit Makati Blue Pitch in the City of Makati.
Head Coach JP Merida heavily rotated his squad for today’s fixture, with last game’s key players Dov Cariño and Ranzo Aljama not starting, as well as Alfonso Loja getting the nod today over Juan Tansingco.
The Ateneo side started the game off on the back foot, with UP’s Rehmat Sidhu attempting a shot in the very first minute of the game. Both teams then settled down and probed each other’s weaknesses offensively and defensively for the early part of the game.
Loja was then called on early in the game, holding on to a Fighting Maroon shot in the eighth minute. However, the Blue and White suffered a defensive breakdown three minutes later, as UP’s Edson Pormento scored off the defensive error to give UP an early lead, 0-1.
The Loyola Heights-based squad continued to be placed under pressure by their crosstown rivals, being pinned back by UP’s aggressive possession-based approach. The 13th minute nearly proved dangerous for Ateneo, with a cross from UP’s Miguel Basmayor to Sidhu not materializing due to an offside call.
Midway through the first half, the Blue Eagles saw glimpses of attacking chances, with a 20th-minute counter-attack attempt stopped via a Basmayor foul. Seven minutes later, the Blue and White won the ball high up in UP’s defensive third, but Kenji Rance’s cross from the right flank was blocked by a UP defender.
The rest of the first half became a battle of defense between both sides, with Ateneo’s compact mid-block matching UP’s aggressive high press. The end of the first half proved to be another shocker for the Blue Eagles, as a back-post header by Shan Lorque sailed past Loja into the back of the net, doubling the deficit heading into the break, 0-2.
The second half began the same way the first half ended, with both teams jostling for control. The Blue Eagles continued to be pinned back by their crosstown rivals’ possession, but still remained compact to weather the Fighting Maroon storm.
The 51st minute turned out to be a golden opportunity for the Loyola Heights-based XI, as a scramble in the box after a Blue and White corner kick was saved by the UP goalkeeper. Loja continued to keep the UP attackers at bay, first saving a shot from just outside the box in the 54th minute. He then provided a clutch one-on-one save in the 58th minute, preventing the gap from further widening.
Ateneo continued to be under pressure by UP Ikot, with the Blue and White defense having to clear the ball from a low cross through the right flank in the 61st minute. Substitute Carino then had an immediate impact three minutes later, with his shot forcing a save from the Fighting Maroon goalkeeper.
The Blue Eagles then continued to press for a goal to commence a comeback, with their first attempt sailing above UP’s crossbar in the 69th minute. The 71st minute was the closest opportunity for a goal, but the succeeding tap-in attempt by Ateneo was too strong.
The Blue and White continued to hunt for a goal as a chip shot attempt was cleared by the UP Ikot defense, and another attempt hit the woodwork just moments later.
Cariño provided a lifeline for the Blue and White, scoring a goal to narrow the deficit to 1-2. However, this proved to be a consolation, with UP Ikot adding another goal, sealing Ateneo’s first defeat of the tournament, 1-3.
As of writing, the schedule and venue of the Blue Eagles’ next Ang Liga match have yet to be announced.
