Tamaraws score six against winless Adamson

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 87 Men’s Football Standings

Ateneo 18 points (+12) 

FEU 13 points (+12) 

UP 13 points (+8) 

UST 12 points (+1) 

DLSU 7 points (-5) 

UE 7 points (-8) 

ADU 0 points (-20)

Men's Football Matches on Thursday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium) 

4 p.m. – AdU vs Ateneo

6:30 p.m. – FEU vs UE

FAR EASTERN University subdued struggling Adamson University, 6-0, to open its second round of the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Football tournament on a winning note on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium in Quezon City.

The Tamaraws drew level with the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons at 13 points but zoomed to second place with a plus-12 goal difference, five points below league-leading Ateneo De Manila University Blue Eagles’ unbeaten slate.

The six goals came from different scorers for the league’s best-scoring squad with 19 total – two in the first period from Ace Amita and Marc Alvon Celis and four in the second from Eugene Arriola, Nickos Mamon twice, and Karl Absalon.

“We’re happy to win to start the second leg. UST won, UP won, so before the match we were fourth; so, everybody was pushing for this win. The boys played with a lot of heart and they played smart, so we’re very happy,” said FEU head coach Roman Oliver.

“It is not about one player scoring because you score with the team helping you score. It is all about teamwork. As long as it’s FEU scoring, I don’t care who scores.”

Amita and Celis plucked two early goals for FEU, testing Adamson’s goalkeeper Shane Salarda in quick succession in the 10th and 13th minutes, to head into the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead.

The offense did not let up in the second half for the Tamaraws, as even substitutes Arriola and Mamon chipped in with the scoring.

The two came off the bench to head the deliveries from rookie Edgar Aban in the said period. Aban sent the ball inside the box for Arriola in the 51st minute, while Mamon towered high to meet the corner kick in the 66th minute.

Absalon provided the nail in the coffin in the 73rd minute before Mamon added one in additional time for the Tamaraws, who will be going up against the University of the East Red Warriors (7 points, -8 GD) on Thursday at 6: 30 p.m.

“I love how the team is behaving when we lost the ball. This is exactly what we need. I’m happy with the teamwork, with the fight, with the pride. And I think this is the way to continue moving forward,” the first-year mentor, Oliver, said.

Adamson, which remained winless after seven matches, on the other hand, could not manufacture a decent shot that could bother both the defense and FEU keeper Mon Diansuy.

The Soaring Falcons will shoot for a monumental upset when they take on the unscathed Blue Eagles earlier in the day at 4 p.m.