Ateneo 1 vs. UP 1
by rick olivares
Match 9
February 10, 2008
Erenchun Field
Ateneo De Manila University
This is the game of their lives.
More than half the team was in high school when Ateneo won the last of its football crowns in 2006. Saddled with more rookies than veterans the following year, Arnulfo Merida had to do a lot of more coaching and haranguing from the sidelines as the team listed to port rather badly.
After eight matches in Season 71, the team was on top of the standings with 18 points with two more games to play. They were first facing dangerous UP then an even more dangerous FEU team that scored goals for breakfast, more goals for lunch, and one more for good measure for dinner. Earlier, the Tamaraws dusted off the defending champions UST with a 3-1 win that game them a total of 19 points. Ateneo had to win for an automatic first berth to the finals and the crucial twice-to-beat advantage or draw at the very least that would make Thursday match with the Tamaraws a crucial showdown.
It’s not enough that the holdovers from the 2006 champion team – Pat Ozaeta, Alvin Perez, Gerard Cancio, Doods Lansang, Jolo Peralta, Gino Tongson, and Fred Ozaeta – were in the line-up. Merida and Ateneo Football Center head Jong Castaneda sat the down and gave them a quick history of Ateneo’s past champions and the character and strength of their nature. It was easy for Merida then for he could just pluck off anyone off that bench and the engine would still be humming.
The 2007-08 Ateneo team remotely resembles the Three-peat champs or the team that went to four straight finals from 1996-99 (where they won two), but Merida theorized that they too could find their own selves and chart their own destiny. “Both teams are tactically sound so it’s going to come down to heart and ‘who wants it more.’”
They were in the fight of their lives.
Ateneo’s dreams of another finals berth seemed it would be just like that… a dream.
A mistake by Alvin Perez in clearing the ball led to an early UP goal that for the longest time seemed to be the only tally of the game. The Maroons had scouted Ateneo well and did much to disrupt the passing from the diamond formation. Merida directed his two midfielders Peralta and Gab Siojo to shuttle the pass to Gino Tongson instead of the wings. If Tongson had no shot, the ball would go back to either midfielder who would read the defense and slant a pass to the attacking wingbacks.
The start of the second half saw the Blue Booters ratchet up the offense as they totally took UP out of their game plan. Unfortunately, they couldn’t convert on their numerous chances. With time running out, the team was clearly getting frustrated with their inability to level the match. “Pag hindi nag-work ulitin natin yung play. Stick to the system,” reminded Merida.
In the 87th minute, team captain Pat Ozaeta stole the ball from a UP player and he immediately passed it to Siojo. The second year midfielder laid a perfect pass through the UP defense that Gerard Cancio managed to snag. The Ateneo striker beat two Maroon defensive backs and bore down on the goal forcing UP keeper Jose Maria Mendezona to rush out. With an open goal in front of him, Cancio slotted in a slow roller to the right that skirted beyond the goalie’s fingertips. A Maroon defender gave chase but the ball found the back of the net for the tie.
And for Ateneo’s 19th point that sent them to the school’s ninth UAAP football finals (versus Far Eastern University) since it joined the league in 1978.
“I missed being in the finals,” said an exhausted but elated Merida.
Did the boys benefit from the history lesson?
“Yes and an excellent halftime adjustment. Pero ngayon chance nila to write their own history.”
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