With 30 seconds left of the three-minute extra time, Manuel Mateo Yuhico controlled the rebound off a shot by teammate Nikko Villa that hit the crossbar. As UP defenders frantically scampered to block his shot, Yuhico, who came in as a late substitute for striker Al Bustamante, volleyed past Maroons ’keeper Mark Custodio for the equalizer.
It was a sorry goal and point conceded by UP which was unbeaten in its first four matches this season.
However, it was the Green Archers who controlled the early stages of the match until an errant De La Salle clearance went inside their box with the ball hitting defender Juan Antonio Patag.
UP rookie Jinggoy Valmayor stepped up for the penalty kick and converted in the 20th minute for 1-nil—his fourth score of the tournament. It was all UP from that point on as the Maroons routinely picked apart De La Salle’s careful passing game.
“I was ready to go back down on defense,” related Yuhico, a second-year player. “But coach [Hans Smit] always tells us to be ready at times like this for a rebound. I was lucky to get it and score.”
A relieved Smit glowed after the match. “That’s what we’ve been teaching these kids—to keep that never-say-die spirit. We were able to achieve our goal for the game which was to prevent UP from sweeping the tournament. Hopefully, we can continue what we’ve been doing in the second round,” he said.
Sleeping giant University of Santo Tomas, finding its campaign floundering with only five points to show after four matches, followed its 4-0 win over Ateneo with a 4-1 drubbing of Far Eastern University.
Striker Ojay Clariño received a perfect cross from midfielder Shinmar Felongco inside the box that he blasted past Tamaraws ’keeper Leoben Wayco in the 11th minute. Three minutes later, Clariño scored on a penalty called on Wayco for knocking down UST midfielder Mario Caballero.
UST celebrated the return of sophomore striker Christian de Juan, who was out for two matches after a death in the family.
De Juan, a substitute in the first half, scored off another brilliant cross from Felongco in the 41st minute for a 3-0 lead heading into the half. De Juan’s fellow native from Barotac Nuevo, Fidel Kue, finished off the hard-fighting Tamaraws with a goal in the 88th minute.
The defending champions battled back despite being reduced to 10 men after midfielder Dexter Chio was sent off for kicking UST defender Joel Bones. Tamaraws rookie striker Jesus Melliza scored in the 51st minute for his third goal of the season.
In the other match of the day’s triple-header, Ateneo and University of the East played to a scoreless draw. In women’s action, FEU beat DLSU, 1-0, while Ateneo drew with UP, 1-1.
(Rick Olivares)
