DOV Cariño and Ateneo de Manila University continued their impressive start to the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Football Tournament—edging University of Santo Tomas 2-0 on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.
Cariño, the Blue Eagles’ 20-year-old attacking midfielder, scored his sixth goal of the season—a tap-in—in the 40th minute to give his school a dream start. It was the perfect reward for the Ateneo’s persistence as Joaquin Collo and Matti Roxas had sniffs at goal before the opener.
“Of course, every goal feels amazing,” said Cariño. “It felt really good to be able to score for the team and to be able to go one-nil up in the first half.”
Come the second half, the Golden Booters came out more aggressive in search of a leveler. Blue Eagles goalkeeper Artuz Cezar denied TJ Garciano and Archie John Belluga’s attempts while Jan Patrick Baito overshot his free kick.
UST then had a golden chance to equalize late in the match with an indirect free kick given due to a high boot in the penalty box, only for the Golden Booters’ attempt to hit the Blue Eagles’ wall, which allowed Ateneo to hit a counterattack finished off by Collo in the 90+1 minute.
Despite the victory, Ateneo coach JP Merida felt that his players needed to close the game better.
“I’m not happy with the second half because I think UST had two chances to equalize,” said Merida. “I’m not happy with the start of the second half as well as my substitutions. I had too much expectations for the subs but I don’t know what happened there. I don’t know why they couldn’t manage the last 30 minutes and the last 15 minutes of the match.”
Ateneo, still in first place with 15 points and a plus-9 goal difference, shoot for the first round sweep against University of the East this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. on the same pitch.
On the other hand, UST closed the first round with nine points and a plus-1 goal difference—finishing third behind three wins and three defeats.
