UST, Ateneo battle to scoreless draw in UAAP football

MANILA, Philippines – UST and league-leading Ateneo settled for a scoreless draw in 75th season of the  UAAP men’s football Season 75 at the Ateneo campus in Katipunan, Quezon City today.

The Tigers unleashed strong defensive stops in the 45-minute mark but couldn’t hit a goal. Ateneo struggled in offense but likewise doubled its effort defensively to spoil UST’s scoring chances.

The Katipunan-based booters vowed to improve the next time around.

“We just need to play better in our next game,” said Ateneo mentor JP Merida. “UST’s defense held us most of the time but we’re able to match their defense somehow.”

UST, for its part, is now feeling a sense of urgency to sweep its remaining games

 â€œThere is still a chance to be in the Final Four but we need to win in our remaining assignments,” said UST head coach Marjo Allado. “Our defense held their attacks but they (Ateneo) also played good defensively.”

Ateneo’s Antonio Bonoan, UST’s Peter Ricamora and Shinmar Felongco will be suspended for one game for committing offenses during the match. They will serve their suspension this Sunday.   

Meanwhile, De La Salle University’s 2-1 victory over Far Eastern University (FEU) in the first game kept unbeaten Ateneo in the No. 1 spot with 20 points on six wins and two draws.

FEU’s leading striker Jesus Melliza drilled in the game’s first goal in the 42nd minute, but La Salle’s David Diamante equalized the match with a goal in the 52nd minute.

Diamante then nailed the go-ahead goal in the 82nd minute to seize the lead for the Archers.

La Salle and FEU are now tied at second with six wins each for 18 points. 

In the other match, Anthony Antipolo struck a goal in the 69th minute as NU slipped past winless UE, 1-0, to improve to 7 points on 2 wins, a draw and six losses.

UE absorbed its eighth loss in nine games for 1 point.