On tie-breaks in UAAP football

Mark Molina FEU Athletic Director wrote me in explaining why the UAAP Board upheld their protest: "There are two UAAP rules that are relevant to this discussion. UAAP rule on football championship series 5.1: "If the top two teams shall have the same number of points, they shall play a best of three series" and Rule 5.3 which states "If the first team earned more points than the second team, the first team shall only need to defeat the second team once. However the second team must win twice over the first team.

No one is disputing the fact that Ateneo is the top seed in the finals and FEU is number two based on UAAP tiebreak rules and the FIFA tiebreak rules you mentioned. The point of contention is why did Ateneo get twice-to-beat? Does any UAAP or even FIFA rule say that the top ranked team gets twice-to-beat? None. The rules clearly say that twice-to-beat is given to the top seeded team only if it has more points than second place and if they are equal then it is a best of three as mentioned above. So the question still remains for the football officials: what is their basis for awarding twice-to-beat? What rule?

Rick: Agreed. However, there is a step-ladder format in judging tie-breaks. We use the FIFA code since we (the Philippines, the PFF, and the UAAP) are a member. Here are FIFA rules on adjudging tie-breaks:

The ranking of each team in each group will be determined as follows:


a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;

b) goal difference in all group matches;


c) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.

If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings will be determined as follows:


d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;


e) goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;


f) greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned;


g) drawing of lots by the Organising Committee.

The top-seed is decided not by the host school but by the tournament officials. Let's be clear on that. And furthermore, there's a note in the UAAP Rules that say anything not covered here, then the FIFA Rules apply.

Mark Molina: It is good that you mentioned the women's division since this was also explained in the letter we wrote to the board. Women standings ended with DLSU having 15 points UST 14 points and FEU 14 points. Under the rules DLSU get top ranking with twice-to-beat since they have more points than the second ranked team. UST is ranked second because it has a better goal difference than FEU so FEU drops to third and out of the finals. Same tiebreak rules apply for the juniors division and that is why Ateneo is top ranked as previously mentioned. But being top ranked does not mean you get twice-to-beat, you need to have more points than number 2 and I am now sounding like a broken record.

Rick: Take a look at the Women's Standings below. UST and FEU have the same number of points. UST made it to the championship round after a scoreless draw with FEU on the final playing day. If the UAAP rules on tie-breaks -- based on they way they interpret the rules -- then shouldn't there be another game between UST and FEU? Because the UAAP Rules mention only "points." "Points" is accumulated from wins, draws, and loses. In case of ties, the goal differences are applied. Why is it for the Women's Division the FIFA rules apply but for the Juniors it is different? So my question therefore is about consistency. All the decisions made -- and for years it has been this way -- by tournament and match officials.