UP pound UE to kickstart second round campaign

c/o UAAP

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

4 p.m. – UST vs DLSU

6:30 p.m. – Ateneo vs UP

CAPTAIN Macky Tobias scored twice in the second half to propel University of the Philippines in a rousing second-round campaign opener, completing a season sweep of University of the East, 4-1, in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Football tournament on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium in Quezon City.

The defending champions momentarily seized solo second following a rise to 13 points and a plus-8 goal difference, just above University of Santo Tomas at 12 points (+1 GD), thanks to goals from the graduating senior Tobias and rookies Joseph Garces and Joses Azur.

“We wanted to get a good start to gain momentum. We ended the last round with a win, so this second round, we want to build consistency and momentum,” said UP head coach Popoy Clarino. 

“We are already in that stage where teams are neck-and-neck and a slip-up can be a setback. We have to move forward, and we have to set higher standards for our team every game.”

Just like in their first-round encounter last October 13, it was rookie Garces who delivered the early go-ahead for UP – his fifth of the season.

CJ Donato attracted the defense on the run to the goal and found Cian Galsim to his right. Galsim then sent the ball into the box for Garces for the opener in the 9th minute past UE keeper Chrisjan Tambilawan.

Joses Azur could have doubled the lead with two chances, including an empty-goal attempt, but Mark Maghinay denied him in the 51st minute.

Tobias, though, would not be stopped in the dying minutes of the match, sealing UP’s fourth win with back-to-back goals in the 87th and the 89th minutes.

The Fighting Maroons will seek its third straight win when it faces the so-far unbeaten Ateneo Blue Eagles on Sunday at 2 p.m., still at the same Diliman venue.

“Of course, it’s going to be a great match. Ateneo is a great team; we are looking forward to going up against them. We'll try to improve, try to learn what we can from this last game, and, hopefully, we can succeed in what we plan on doing,” added the second-year mentor, Clarino, on that crucial battle against the Blue Eagles.

UE got one back in the second-half added time with John Magallon, but birthday boy Azur plucked a late reply for UP to nail the final tally.

The Red Warriors were forced to play with 10 men after Daniel Cabacungan was sent off in the 66th minute.

UE remained at 7 points and a minus-8 GD and will look to snap this skid against the De La Salle Green Booters later that day at 7 p.m.