UP caps unbeaten season, nips UST to regain UAAP football title

Its basketball team failing to win a single game in the UAAP, University of the Philippines’ football squad did the opposite — posting an unbeaten record for the season en route to winning the championship. On Sunday, the Fighting Maroons capped their unbeaten season by nipping the University of Santo Tomas Tigers, 2-1, at the Ateneo Erenchun field. Nii Aryee Ayi struck hard in the 31st minute, coming away with a goal off a pass from Rookie of the Year Jinggoy Valmayor to open things up for the Fighting Maroons. Valmayor notched his ninth goal of the tournament in the 51st minute, getting past UST goalkeeper Ramon Borigas on a mad scramble in the penalty box and scoring to make it 2-0. OJ Clarino scored on a penalty kick for UST after a UP handball inside the box in the 60th minute, but that proved to be the last stand by the Tigers. “Their hard work really paid off," said UP coach Anton Gonzales. “Their determination and sacrifice were really different this season, and they reaped the fruits." UP won 10 games and drew once, to win its second title in three years. It erased the stigma of last year’s campaign when the Fighting Maroons forfeited some of their wins for fielding a player who saw action in another league while the UAAP was still ongoing. “I really think UST is the more skilled squad, but we worked hard and we were more aggressive," said Gonzales, a former member of the UP team and the Philippine men’s national football team in early 2000. UP’s Stephen Permanes was named Most Valuable Player while Valmayor was also named the Best Striker in the tournament. Another Fighting Maroon in Deo Seguinal was cited as the Best Defender. - Reuben Terrado, RCJ, KY, GMA News