UP, DLSU open football campaign with huge wins

This appears in the Monday January 17, 2011 edition of the Business Mirror.

UP rookie striker Jinggoy Valmayor celebrates after scoring on a penalty.

UP, DLSU open UAAP football campaign with huge wins

by rick olivares with pics by brosi gonzales

The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons began their season of redemption with a 2-1 win over defending champion Far Eastern University as Season 73 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s football tournament got under way on Sunday at the Ateneo de Manila football field.

Rookie striker Gerardo Valmayor scored in the 17th and 48th minutes before the Tamaraws’ Jesus Joaquin Meliza pulled one back in the 82nd minute.

“I’m just relieved that we got the win,” said UP coach Anto Gonzales. The Maroons forfeited three matches last season after two of their players were found to have suited up in the United Football League at the same time as the college football season. The UAAP prohibits playing in two tournaments at the same time.

“We still lack fluidity in our attack. But we will get there. After losing Andrei Mercader and Francis Liza to graduation, the Maroons coaching staff moved striker Ayi Aryee to the midfield to shore up their line. “I believe that Ayi has good defensive instincts and the midfield could use some help.”

In the second match, last year’s losing finalists the UST Growling Tigers drew with University of the East, 1-1.

The Red Warriors pounced on a lackadaisical UST side as Fitch Johnson Arboleda scored inside the 21st minute. The Tigers responded in the 45th minute when Fidel Kue, a freshman from Barotac Nuevo like last year’s Rookie of the Year Christian de Juan, beat UE keeper Robert Martos.

UE, now coached by Erwin Briones who picked up the reins from the late Lloyd Lim, was pleased to have picked up a point from the draw. “Laging maganda na makakuha ka ng puntos. Malayo pa. May time to improve.”

UST head coach Marjo Allado expressed similar sentiments. “Nakuha namin ’yung rhythm namin nung second half. Finishing na lang.”

The Tigers, with their veteran lineup that includes Azkals reserve central back David Basa, controlled the match in the second half as their 3-4-3 attack formation saw numerous scoring chances by de Juan and Mario Clariño.

“Hopefully sa Wednesday [against De La Salle] makapag-adjust kami.”

In the main game of the men’s tournament, tournament favorite De La Salle scored a 5-1 win over archrival Ateneo de Manila to garner the full three points and join UP atop the opening-day leader board.

Alfredo Bustamante scored a brace, hitting goals in the 20th and 61st minutes, and Derrico Diamante duplicated the feat by scoring in the 58th and 86th minutes. Junpei Ogawa added a strike of his own in the 38th minute.


Ateneo's lone goal came from Anton Amistoso whose strike in the 42nd minute gave the home field team hope for the second half. Diamante's score in the 58th minute deflated the Blue Eagles who absorbed their worst loss to La Salle in over two decades.

Al Bustamante's teammates join him in celebration after scoring a goal against a hapless Ateneo.