This appears in ateneo.edu
Ateneo and La Salle football: Unfinished business.
by rick olivares
Some things end not the way you expect
it and yet you manage a smile if only for the good endings.
Some things end not the way you expect
it and it leaves you shaking your head in disbelief and asking, “What went
wrong?”
It has been a bewildering season for
the Ateneo Blue Eagles on the football field. They lost RS Mantos for several
games due to his anger management problem and as a result they fitted in two other goalkeepers (Joel Faustino and Yu Murayama) to stem the tide (as they conceded a bushel-load of goals). They did play well on occasion as dominated some
of the tougher competition only to lose in the endgame. But in the end, the Blue Booters
chalked up three wins – one against UE and two against La Salle, avenging a
three-year streak of futility against their ancient foe.
For the Green Archers, it was another
frustrating season. They have talented and deep lineup with many of them making
a good account of themselves during the past summer’s Under-23 tournament as
well as in the UFL. And then there was the University Games where they beat
tournament favorite University of St. La Salle to win the title. While they
were expected to give UST and UP a tough fight for the coveted men’s football
crown, Ateneo stood in their way. Twice.
After the boys in blue picked up a 1-0
win over UE, they succumbed to a series of disappointing and crippling loses
that saw them alternating with the Red Warriors for the infamy of being the
cellar dweller.
The boys in green in the meantime
succumbed to four consecutive draws and needed a win against Ateneo to get back
in contention.
Unfortunately, this was a different
Ateneo team that was unlike the troubled squads of the past few years that was
lacking in talent and resolve.
In the first meeting that closed out the first
round action, Ateneo dominated the field of play and earned a 1-0 win.
That was the win that was supposed to
turn Ateneo’s season around. Instead, they were ambushed by a pair of 2-0 loses to UP and UST. And then they even spotted FEU with a one goal lead before conceding two goals in a galling defeat. UE even repaid them in spades with a 1-0 win. And the final
game against La Salle was – you can say – to avoid finishing dead last for the
second time in the past three years.
The loss to Ateneo threw La Salle
momentarily out of the orbit of competing for the top two spots. With every
passing match, it became more obvious that their confidence and morale had
greatly waned. The good cheer brought about by the Unigames titled was a
forgotten memory. They lost defender Miguel Montelibano before the UAAP season
began to academics as well as Kaman Suleiman at the start of the tourney to a
knee injury. Starting keeper Patrick Deyto, the best goalkeeper of a year ago,
was oft moody and lacking in his trademark fire and the team suffered for it. But the Green Archers managed to right their ship and got back within three points and a prayer of catching that last
seat to the finals.
Yet once more, Ateneo was in the way.
As it was in the first meeting between the two teams, the boys from Loyola
dominated and showed excellent play in the midfield behind veteran James Arco, freshman
Mikko Mabanag who was brilliant in his feeding the ball to his forwards, and
senior Anton Amistoso who was terrific in a holding midfield position.
If Mabanag was solid in Ateneo’s
midfield, La Salle threatened with Nathan Alquiros’ play from the left flank.
But the Blue Booter’s defense was difficult to crack as they repulsed one La Salle sortie
after another.
Yet for all of Ateneo’s dominance, the
decision making in their finishing left much to be desired. When they needed to
cross the ball, they sent it several seconds too late or passed it back. When
they needed a fast play, they took their time and allowed La Salle’s defense to
take shape.
La Salle was able to adjust and force
the ball away from Mabanag in the early goings of the second half, but when
Ateneo’s defense held, the home side quickly regained the initiative with
Mabanag once more the maestro in the midfield.
In the 71st minute, a cross
by Kurt Alvarez cut right through the heart of La Salle’s defense. Amistoso swopped
in and banged in the goal past keeper Josh Cruz, his second of the season
(also against La Salle) for what would be the only score of the match. Alvarez,
who had come back this season because of what he said was "unfinished business" nearly doubled the lead but his strike went – incredibly – wide.
At fulltime, the boys in blue whooped
it up and closed out the season with a resounding singing of the alma mater
song. There were mixed feelings especially among the graduating seniors. The
ultimate goal – to win a title – was not attained. It was a roller coaster
season with damning lows and with good highs. They ended years of La Salle
domination and once more derailed their title dreams. So they managed a smile
and hearty laughs.
The boys in green gathered on the
opposite side, struggling to hold their heads high while holding back the tears.
As La Salle sputtered during the season, there was talk or even threat of a day
of reckoning (of changes). As they forlornly trudged back to the bench, there
were none of the words of anger or encouragement that wafted about their bench
through nine games. Their collective silence and going different ways said it
all.
As the final football matches of the
day got underway, Ateneo’s Kurt Alvarez for a moment stewed on whether he was
coming back or not for one more go around. The time away from the team helped
in a more mature look at the game. “it’s all about unfinished business,” he
said. He did score the first goal of his college career against FEU after a
sterling stint with the Ateneo high school team. “But is it really?”
That and many others will be
answered months from now.
For James Arco, Anton Amistoso,
and RS Mantos. Thank you for coming back and giving it that old college try even if it was very difficult. I was hard on Anton for a couple of years but that was because I thought that he was a damn good footballer who didn't show his stuff when it was needed. But this year, he was solid all throughout. And almost every game I watched I had to shake his hand in appreciation. My everlasting gratitude to him for gutting it out and giving it his damn best. Kurt Alvarez and Miguel Tuason... if you don’t decide to come
back, thanks too. And to JP Merida... good job. Coaches Power, Ryan, and Greg... thank you.
For La Salle and their warriors – Migs
Patag, Mat Nierras, and Nathan Alquiros – you guys played with a lot of heart
and spunk.
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