Far Eastern University-Diliman continued its dominant run in the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Football Tournament, securing a 2-0 victory over Ateneo de Manila University, Wednesday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.
The Baby Tamaraws extended their perfect start to the season with three consecutive wins, maintaining their place atop the standings with nine points.
More impressively, the defending champions have yet to concede a goal.
Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle Zobel bounced back from last Saturday’s draw with crucial victories over guest schools.
UST overpowered Claret School of Quezon City, 5-1, while La Salle edged PAREF Southridge, 1-0, bringing both teams to seven points in the standings.
With the match still goalless at halftime, FEU-Diliman broke through in the second half.
Striker Joerby Anito opened the scoring in the 48th minute, and substitute Jerriemy Biton doubled their lead just two minutes later, netting his third goal of the season.
For Baby Tamaraws head coach Jake Morallo, the win was especially gratifying after a first half where his squad created chances but struggled to finish.
“Game plan namin was to play direct to get behind yung backline nila,” Morallo explained. “I thought that if we did that, we’d have the advantage (dahil) mas eager at mas mabilis yung attacking side namin. Nagpasok kami ng mga fast players but then hindi siya na-utilize. There were chances pero hindi lang talaga namin na-score.”
He went on, “Pero dalawang side yung pinlanuhan namin dun eh — na ma-sustain din namin yung play namin from the first half. Even though walang score dun na nangyari, nagawa pa rin ng boys sa first half.
“In the second half, I think maganda yung adjustment (at) nagkaroon ng early goals sa first five minutes.”
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
La Salle’s Geoffrey Marqueses, a product of Villamor Air Base Elementary School, delivered the game’s lone goal with a composed finish from close range.
Junior Green Booters captain Bacchus Ekberg had two opportunities to extend La Salle’s lead from free kicks, but Southridge goalkeeper Juan Paolo Tansingco made crucial saves to keep his team in the game.
Southridge had its chances late in the match, with Zechariah Casillano and Francis Poticano coming close to an equalizer.
However, La Salle goalkeeper Jacob Salavante denied Casillano, while Poticano squandered a golden opportunity from a set-piece play.
“This is the battle of Muntinlupa, right?” said La Salle’s Ghanaian head coach Ayi Nii Aryee. “I think both teams prepared well, and you can see it was a 50/50 game, especially in the first half. We got chances and were able to score one. They had chances but were not able to score.
“Our objective for the second half was if we don’t get to score, then they don’t get to score.”
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Junior Golden Booters midfielder Yuan Maniscan led the charge for UST, scoring in the 31st and 40th minutes.
Spain-bound Joshua Moleje added another in the 37th minute, giving last season’s finalists a comfortable three-goal cushion by halftime.
“Yun naman yung hinihintay ng boys eh na may maka-score na una,” said UST assistant coach David Basa. “Pag wala pa kasi yung first goal, medyo hindi pa sila ganun ka-relax sa game at di pa masyadong nag-wo-work lahat.
“Pero once naka-score (si Yuan), medyo naka-relax na, medyo naka-hold na yung bola at medyo nakaatake na kami.”
After having an earlier attempt saved by Claret goalkeeper Ethan James Moreno, substitute Joshua Balliner netted UST’s fourth goal in the 82nd minute.
Another substitute, Argos Phrixus Alingalan, capped off the rout with a goal in stoppage time (90+2’).
Claret managed to pull one back through Rolando John Torres in the 59th minute, but it was merely a consolation.
With the win, UST climbed to second place in the standings with a goal difference of +7, edging out La Salle (+2) for the spot.
