Maroons stage late surge to clutch past DLSU

The University of the Philippines (UP) Men’s Football Team clinched a dramatic 2-0 victory over the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Booters, 2-0, on Oct. 27 at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

With this victory, the Maroons surge to third place with ten points, poised to build on their momentum as Round 2 kicks off on Nov. 3.

Late surge

Right from kickoff, coach Popoy Clarino’s stalwarts seized control, dominating possession and engineering multiple promising attacks down the flanks.

An opportunity came early in the 8th minute when CJ Donato received an early cross from Liam Lampayan, but his shot flew just wide off the post.

Maroon midfielder Adri Caraig created another chance as he threaded the needle to rookie standout Bryan Garces, only to be denied point-blank by DLSU captain-keeper Enrico Mangaoang, thwarting UP’s bid for an early lead. 

Caraig continued to unsettle DLSU’s backline, drawing a foul from Green Booter Robby Cruel inside the box in the 28th minute, earning a penalty. 

Team captain Macky Tobias stepped up for the shot, but Mangaoang clinched the moment with a decisive dive to keep the game at a deadlock.

Joses Azur and Ramil Bation III relish a triumphant moment. Photo by UAAP Media Bureau

The second half opened with a foul by DLSU’s Paolo Go, granting UP a valuable set-piece opportunity. Ramil Bation III lined up the strike but went off-target, continuing the Diliman-based squad’s frustration in front of the goal.

In the 66th minute, Donato was left wide open for a golden chance but saw his shot sail agonizingly over the crossbar.

As both sides pushed to break the stalemate, substitutions in the 69th minute added fresh legs into UP’s lineup, with Garces replaced by Joses Azur and Tobias swapped for Shaun Saludez.

After 83 minutes of hard-fought, scoreless play, the Maroons finally shattered the deadlock as Azur capitalized on a defensive lapse by the Green-and-White, launching a left-footed missile that rattled the back of the net.

In the next minute, Bation unleashed a ruthless finish inside the box, cementing UP’s lead with a decisive blow to close out the match. 

Rookie power

The defending champions have weathered a rollercoaster first round marked by a mix of wins and losses.

The Maroons suffered a tough 0-1 opener against the University of Santo Tomas Golden Booters and endured a 0-2 setback to the number one seed Ateneo Blue Eagles.

In a gripping rematch of last season’s finals showdown against the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, UP held a narrow 1-0 lead until FEU struck back to equalize the score in the last 3 seconds.

“Our storyline is we lose, we win, we lose, we win, so there’s no improvement. What we want is consistent improvement [in] every game.” Clarino said in a post-match interview.

He highlighted the importance of the match against La Salle, emphasizing that advancing to the second round with confidence was a crucial objective—one he believes they accomplished.

As the State U squad gears up for the second round, Clarino is focused on fostering team chemistry, especially after losing seven players who graduated from play last season, including Season 86 Most Valuable Player Francis Tacardon.

“If you set high standards, you will never be satisfied… We try to work more as a team. Get to know one another better, both inside and outside the field and hopefully, we’ll take one game at a time,” he said.

Rookies have stepped up to fill the gaps left by the team’s transitions, with Garces leading the charge by netting a total of four goals in six matches, while Azur emerged as a key player in the closer against DLSU.

“Dapat makatulong talaga ako sa team kasi kung wala po talagang mags-step-up, sino na? Dapat all out, dapat ibigay ko ‘yung lahat ko,” Azur said in a post-game interview with Tinig ng Plaridel.

As the second round nears, the team is determined to work harder and capitalize on every opportunity that comes their way.

“Sa improvements, marami kayong pwedeng asahan sa amin. We will work harder and take all the chances we have and finish strong,” he added.