Ateneo pounces on hapless Adamson

c/o UAAP

Women's Football Matches on Saturday at the UP Football Stadium

4 p.m. – UST vs DLSU

6:30 p.m. – Ateneo vs UP

LEO Maquiling netted a hat-trick as Ateneo extended its undefeated run to seven matches with a 7-1 romp of Adamson University on Thursday in the UAAP Season 87 men's football tournament at the UP Football Stadium.

Maquiling, capitalizing on the Falcons' mistimed clearance, opened the scoring for the Blue Eagles in the 22nd minute.

Dov Cariño then assisted Maquiling's second goal a minute later, seeing the Ateneo captain left unmarked.

Maquiling netted the season's first hat-trick in the 67th minute to give the Blue Eagles a 5-0 advantage.

"Because of the last game of the first round, I think yun ang start kaya nakuha niya ulit ang motivation on how to finish, clinical in the first half," said coach JP Merida on Maquiling.

Ateneo posted its biggest victory of the season to improve to 21 points on top of the table.

Galen Fernandez found the back of the from a Cariño cross in the 34th minute for a 3-0 Blue Eagles lead.

Cariño then facilitated Ateneo's fourth goal, as Fonzy Escobin delivered in stoppage time.

"Of course, we are really happy we got the seventh three points. It's a good start in the second round, especially in the first half we didn't concede any goals," said Merida.

Substitute Fernando Roxas produced a 79th-minute screamer before Cariño put the match to bed by finally entering the scoresheet at added time.

"It's a good idea to rest some of our players because it is a two-day rest going to a very tough game against UP," said Merida.

Up next for Ateneo is a Katipunan derby with the defending champion University of the Philippines on Sunday.

The Falcons, who remained without a point, got an 82nd-minute consolation goal from John Omar Sabaulan.