Theo Libarnes and Selwyn Mamon spearheaded a clinical attacking display as Far Eastern University opened its UAAP Season 89 Collegiate Men’s Football campaign with an emphatic 10-0 victory over the University of the East on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.
Libarnes, a third-year forward, sparked FEU’s early onslaught with two quickfire goals in the 19th and 21st minutes.
His brace set the tone for a dominant first half. Rustel Buenafe and Leoven Gatungay added goals in the 41st and 44th minutes, respectively, to give the Tamaraws a commanding 4-0 lead at halftime.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
Mamon then came off the bench at the start of the second half and wasted little time making an impact. He completed a rapid-fire hat-trick with goals in the 47th, 51st, and 55th minutes.
For FEU head coach Vince Santos — who returned to the Tamaraws’ helm for the first time since guiding the team to the Season 85 crown — having Libarnes and Mamon leading the attack is a luxury the squad does not take for granted.
“It’s a luxury for a team to have such strikers,” said Santos. “So, we make sure that we keep them fresh and limit their sanctions. We missed Selwyn in the final last year. Hopefully, we manage it better this year.”
With FEU already holding a 7-0 advantage, the Tamaraws continued to press until the final whistle.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
Karl Absalon added the eighth goal with a thumping header in the 67th minute. Then Czam Acuesta and Dionisio Diaz completed the rout with goals in the 80th and third minute of stoppage time, respectively.
Despite the emphatic victory, Santos remained measured about the team’s prospects, stressing that the Tamaraws still have a long campaign ahead.
“It’s still early. I think we did better in the second half,” he said. “We’ll continue to work on our understanding as a team, and hopefully we continue to deliver better performances as the season goes.”
Both teams return to the same venue for their next fixtures against De La Salle University. UE faces La Salle on Thursday at 4:30 PM, while FEU takes on the Taft-based squad next Sunday at 2:00 PM.
