By: Nicole Parallag
Ateneo de Manila University avenged its first-round loss to the University of the East with a 3–1 victory, Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium, lifting the Blue Eagles to third place in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Football Tournament standings.
After the Red Warriors edged them in a thrilling 4–3 first-round encounter on September 28, the Blue Eagles wasted no time flipping the script.
Christian Santilices opened the scoring in the 21st minute with a brilliant bicycle kick off a corner from Mateo Lacson.
Just before halftime, Kofi Agyei doubled the lead — his eighth goal of the season — capitalizing on a costly error by UE goalkeeper Nycko Cloma. The keeper mishandled the ball and allowed the third-year striker to calmly slot it in.
Ethan Roxas sealed Ateneo’s win in the 64th minute after a perfectly timed pass from Dov Cariño set him up for a simple tap-in goal.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“We moved on from what happened in the first game,” said coach JP Merida. “What was important was that we came here for the three points. Of course, we prepared to target the three points. I’m very happy that we got the last three points for 2025.”
With the victory, Ateneo rose to third with 14 points, level with University of Santo Tomas but ahead on goal difference at +7 compared to UST’s +3.
UST, now in fourth, can still alter its standing depending on the outcome of its match against Adamson University later in the day.
From what was a triumphant first-round win — its first over Ateneo since February 21, 2019 — UE struggled this time to find answers, unable to break through the Blue Eagles’ disciplined defensive line. Ateneo controlled the tempo and limited UE’s attempts throughout the first half.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
UE’s Jerome Abarca tried to close the gap with a long-range strike in the 76th minute, but Ateneo goalkeeper Paolo Tangsingco was alert and handled it with ease.
Abarca eventually pulled one back in the 89th minute with a well-placed header, but it was too late to threaten the Blue Eagles’ lead.
UE — now eliminated from Final Four contention — remains in seventh place with zero points and a goal difference of –19.
Both teams will return to action on January 15, 2026, as the UAAP takes a break for two major events: the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup, which starts this Friday and ends on December 7; and the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand from December 9–20.
With postseason aspirations now out of reach, UE will aim for a win against Adamson University at 2:00 PM. Meanwhile, Ateneo continues its pursuit against archrival De La Salle University at 7:00 PM on the same UP pitch.
