By: Nicole Parallag
Ateneo de Manila University secured the top seed in the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Football Semifinals with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over University of Santo Tomas on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Field in Quezon City.
The win propelled the Blue Eagles past the UP Fighting Maroons to claim the top spot, finishing the elimination round with 28 points and a +21 goal difference.
Despite their dominant 7-0 victory against the De La Salle Green Booters earlier in the day, the Fighting Maroons settled for the second seed with 26 points and a superior +22 goal difference.
In the Final Four, Ateneo is set to face UST, which ended its elimination campaign with 14 points and a -6 goal difference.
Meanwhile, UP will battle Far Eastern University, which accumulated 24 points and a +21 goal difference, in a rematch of last season’s championship match, where the Fighting Maroons triumphed.
The semifinals will take place on December 8 at the historic Rizal Memorial Stadium. Kickoff times will be announced on Monday.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“We considered this as a game one. Most of their main players wala pa dun, like si (TJ) Garciano at si (Chris) Valderama. We’re looking forward to performing well sa semifinals, and we are ready for UST,” said Ateneo head coach JP Merida, expressing confidence in their preparation against the Golden Booters.
Ateneo overcame a challenging first half, stepping up after the break to secure the crucial win.
Dov Cariño delivered a vital equalizer with a volley header in the 58th minute, expertly finishing a cross from Ryen Lim. He followed this with his 11th goal of the season in the 67th minute, solidifying his case as a contender for the league’s top scorer and boosting Ateneo’s momentum.
Just three minutes later, Leo Maquiling added an insurance goal in the 70th minute, giving the Blue Eagles a comfortable cushion.
“Going into this match, there was a plan for us, especially from the coaching staff. Of course, we needed to wait for the results of UP and DLSU, so after that, we adjusted our tactics, but the starting eleven stayed the same. We were good in the first fifteen minutes, but I think set pieces yung kailangan i-improve, kaya we conceded a goal,” added Merida, reflecting on areas for improvement.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
UST’s Richard Songalia opened the scoring in the 40th minute with a stunning long-range strike, giving the Growling Tigers an early lead.
Although Ateneo took control in the second half, UST showed resilience late in the game. John Patrick Baito found the back of the net in the 83rd minute, reducing Ateneo’s lead to one and reigniting the Tigers’ hopes.
UST nearly equalized in the 86th minute when Kristien Elopre’s dangerous free-kick tested Ateneo goalkeeper Artus Cezar. However, Cezar’s crucial save preserved the Blue Eagles’ advantage and secured the victory.
The stage is now set for a semifinal clash between Ateneo and UST, with a coveted spot in the championship match on the line.
