Ramil Bation III assisted on the go-ahead goal and scored a second-half brace as league-leading University of the Philippines cruised to a 5-0 rout of University of the East, staying atop the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Football Tournament on Thursday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium in Quezon City.
The Season 86 Rookie of the Year opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a well-placed corner kick that nearly went straight in, but Cian Galsim ensured it crossed the line with a slight header to give UP the early lead.
Bation III, a member of the Philippine men’s U23 national team, then found the back of the net twice in the 64th and 69th minutes to blow the game wide open for the Fighting Maroons.
The third-year forward is now tied with Ateneo de Manila University’s Cariño with five goals apiece this season. Notably, Bation has scored three times against the Red Warriors in Season 88, having netted the lone goal in UP’s 1-0 victory over UE last September 21.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“We were able to be better today,” said coach Popoy Clarino. “We were able to set our goals — personal and team goals. The objective was to be a better version of yourself today. How can you do that?
“And I think that set the tone already. Tomorrow is a different one. Tomorrow, it’s a new challenge for us. So we have to be better tomorrow.”
Joseph Garces doubled UP’s advantage in the 49th minute with his first goal of the season, paving the way for Bation’s scoring outburst.
Florenz Tacardon capped off the dominant performance with a brilliant solo effort in the 74th minute, slipping past two defenders before slotting in the final goal of the match.
With the win, the Fighting Maroons restored their five-point cushion atop the standings with 19 points and a goal difference of +11 — well ahead of the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, who had a match later in the evening.
UP will next face Ateneo de Manila University on Thursday at 7:00 PM, still at the Diliman pitch.
“We take it one game at a time,” Clarino added. “We like to go back to training (and) do the hard work there; focus on the things that we need to work on and then, come game time, just enjoy and, you know, give back to the community.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
On the other hand, UE had its share of opportunities in both halves, with returning captain John Bernard Magallon and Jerome Abarca creating chances inside the box.
Magallon came close with a header in the 37th minute, while Abarca nearly pulled one back in the 86th.
The Red Warriors remain winless, sitting at the bottom of the table with zero points and a goal difference of -16.
UE will try to bounce back when it faces University of Santo Tomas, also on Thursday, at 2:00 PM.
