The new champions huddle right after the final whistle. Photo by Roehl Niño Bautista

After losing last year’s crown due to controversy, the Fighting Maroons are back as the kings of men’s football.
Game report by: Diego de la Paz and Roehl Niño Bautista

Knowing that they are holding the twice-to-beat edge as the best team after the grueling double-elimination round, they refused to let their advantage slip away.

University of the Philippines (UP) claimed its second University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s football crown in three years via a 2-1 victory over University of Santo Tomas (UST) on Saturday at Ateneo de Manila University’s football grounds.

In the first few minutes of the match, league leading scorer Jinggoy Valmayor had one of the best shots on goal at the 5 minute mark, but left the shot sailing above the crossbar.

On the other side, Shinmar Felongco made an attempt to put the ball through the stifling Maroons defense and managed to hit the crossbar and within the reach of UP goalkeeper Mark Custodio. A following rebound header by Growling Tiger Louie Rodriguez was finally kept at bay by Custodio, which kept the game scoreless at the 23rd minute.

Finally, Ghana native Ayi Nii Aryee fired his special long range shot that broke the ice as the first goal of the match in the 30th minute from the right flank, giving the dominant State U squad the immediate lead that would stay on by the half’s end.

UP's Jinggoy Valmayor playfully headlocks Ayi Nii Aryee after the latter converted his assist in 30th minute. Valmayor scored later in the 51st minute. Photo by Roehl Niño Bautista.

Six minutes into the second half of play, Jinggoy Valmayor took advantage of a mad scramble in the penalty area that resulted into his ninth goal of the tournament and a 2-nil lead at the 51st minute for the boys of Coach Frank Muescan, sending the fans in Maroon into a frenzy at the jampacked perimeter of Erenchun Field.

However, UP committed a costly handball within their own penalty box was paid dearly as Ojay Clariño converted on a freebie in the 61st minute that ignited the UST fanatics on hand as well as giving the Maroon-clad crowd something to worry about.

Soon after, UST went on the offensive but did not see any of their shots hit the back of the net, even with five minutes of stoppage time added after 90 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the women’s division match earlier in the day, Far Eastern University (FEU) and UST went on a scoreless draw after regulation, but the Lady Tamaraws from Morayta won via a 2-0 scoreline on penalties to take Game 1. Their return match is scheduled on Thursday (March 3), 2pm at the Erenchun Field in Ateneo de Manila University.

(Game action photos by FCF lensmen Roehl Niño Bautista and Andrew Pamorada may be viewed in our Facebook album.)