Agyei brace highlights return to college football at Ateneo

c/o UAAP

Dov Cariño orchestrated the play while Kofi Agyei made a triumphant return as Ateneo de Manila University cruised past Adamson University, 3-0, in the opener of the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Football Tournament on Sunday at the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub here.

Agyei, who missed last season due to a combination of injury and academic commitments, marked his comeback with a brace in his first game back for the Blue Eagles.

The Ghanaian forward calmly opened the scoring in the 38th minute with a clinical finish off Cariño’s defense-splitting pass, then headed home his second goal in the 82nd minute to seal the win.

Sandwiched between Agyei’s two strikes, Cariño — a national U23 standout and newly appointed team captain — also found the back of the net with a stunning free kick that beat Falcons goalkeeper Sean Chua in the 64th minute, doubling Ateneo’s lead.

For coach JP Merida, seeing his dynamic duo combine so effectively in the season opener is an encouraging sign for the Blue Eagles’ campaign.

“Going into this game, I was confident that both of them would combine,” said the three-time champion mentor. “My idea was that they would score. In my view, I thought Dov would have scored the first goal, but of course, Kofi did well. We’re happy because Dov and Kofi’s combination upfront is amazing. It’s a good start for us.”

Ateneo will continue its campaign on Sunday when it faces University of the East at 4 p.m. at the same Imus venue.

Meanwhile, Adamson was left to rue missed opportunities that could have altered the game’s outcome. The Soaring Falcons created chaos in the Blue Eagles’ box, culminating in a goal-line clearance by Ateneo midfielder Marcus Arias.

Roberto Roldan and Cameroonian winger Golike Dany Doko also had chances on goal, but neither could find the back of the net.

Adamson will look to bounce back against University of Santo Tomas this Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Vermosa.