The Fighting Maroons, heavy favorites at the beginning of the tournament, gave the Growling Tigers a different look when they immediately went on the offensive on the very first play.
“Rather than play defensively, we wanted to put pressure on them right away,” UP head coach Frank Muescan said.
However, after five minutes of play, the Tigers found their groove and put the Maroons back on their heels. That is until the 30th minute when midfielder Stephen Permanes blew by UST defender Noel Francisco and threaded the ball to Jinggoy Valmayor, who was outside the box.
With David Basa and Ronald Batisla-Ong preventing him from turning and firing away, Valmayor found Ayi Nii Aryee unmarked from 25 yards out. The Ghanaian, a long-range shot artist, volleyed a wicked shot that darted away from Tigers keeper Ramon Borigas for the opening score.
At the half, UST head coach Marjo Allado hoped that a few substitutions would fire up his beleaguered squad. He inserted Kenneth Parao for the ineffective Fidel Kue, John Reginald Caballero for Louie Rodriguez and Joel Bones for Noel Francisco.
But it was UP that stepped up the pressure as a Permanes highball went over Bones and Basa that Valmayor was able to control. The rookie striker fired away for UP’s second goal, his ninth of the tournament for the scoring lead, which gave the Fighting Maroons a nearly insurmountable lead.
A handball inside the UP box by central defender Deo Segunial was whistled by referee Emil Balidio for a penalty shot. With 60 minutes gone, UST striker Ojay Clarino pulled one back with his eighth goal of the tournament.
And with an attack born of desperation, the Tigers found themselves with three chances in the match’s dying minutes to draw level or pip the Maroons. But Christian de Juan, Mar Mungcal and Clarino muffed their shots.
“It feels good to graduate with another title,” said an ebullient Permanes, who was adjudged tournament Most Valuable Player.
Valmayor romped away with the Best Striker and Rookie of the Year awards. The freshman out of La Salle Greenhills nearly duplicated his feat several years ago when he was also Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the National Collegiate Athletic Association juniors football tounament.
UST’s Shinmar Felongco was named Best Midfielder, while UP’s Segunial was named Best Defender. De La Salle, third place for the third-straight year, had one representative in the postseason individual awards in Patrick Deyto, the Goalkeeper of the Year.
In Game One of the best-of-three women’s finals, the Lady Tamaraws beat the Tigresses, 2-0, in a match that went into penalties. Maria Aristia Sabanal and Emma Omictin scored for FEU, which is one game away from winning its second crown.
