FEU trumps La Salle, notches second straight UAAP treble

MANILA, Philippines—A third time really is a charm.

They not only notched their own back-to-back title but the Far Eastern University Tamaraws secured their second straight treble as they nipped De La Salle University 3-2 in the Finals of the UAAP Season 77 Men’s football tournament Sunday evening at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

FEU’s women’s team won the title earlier on Sunday when it defeated University of the Philippines, 2-0, while its Juniors team won on Saturday 2-1 against Ateneo.

READ: FEU nips UP for UAAP women’s football crown

What made the title even sweeter for the Tamaraws is that it was the birthday of their head coach Kum Chul Su.

Paolo Bugas found the back of the net in the 94th minute as it bounced off La Salle’s Nicholas Villacin that ensured FEU’s treble.

It was La Salle’s Gio Diamante that opened the scoring in the 59th minute scoring off the mad scramble in the FEU box to make it 1-0.

Eric Giganto then equalized it for FEU, 1-1, with a big man move, taking away the ball from La Salle keeper Raphael de Guzman after the La Sallian fumbled on the catch in the 72nd minute.

FEU Forward Jesus Meliza said they had to give it their all against La Salle as both of them would not give up without a fight.

“La Salle will not give up,” Meliza said who scored the 2-2 equalizer. “They won’t go down easily.”

In a span of only three minutes, FEU went behind by one goal and equalized afterwards.

Sabin Bustamante scored on a beautiful volley off the clearance in the 80th minute to give La Salle a 2-1 edge with FEU keeper Michael Menzi too slow to recover .

Then Meliza equalized for FEU at the 83rd minute off the immediate counter that put the scores at 2-2.

“This is the best game of my UAAP career,” Meliza said.