FEU turns back UP to gain 1-0 lead in UAAP football finals

Photo by Celest R. Flores/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — A pair of a rookies scored the decisive goals in extra-time to give Far Eastern University a 4-1 win over University of the Philippines in game one of the UAAP men’s football finals on Thursday.

The burly Nigeria Joshua Mulero found the bottom left corner of the net in the 102nd minute to put the Tamaraws back up, before substitute Harold Alcoresa sealed it in the 115th minute.

Deep into extra-time with the game already decided, FEU’s best offensive option Jess Melliza slid the ball to hike his total to 10 this season.

“I’m asking my players to really play their 100 percent. My players have a lazy habit in the end that ‘it’s over’. But I trust my players,” said head coach Korean mentor Kim Chul Su.

Arnel Amita opened the scoring early for the Tamaraws, evading two defenders as he converted a pass from Nicolas Ferrer in the sixth minute.

The no. 1 seeded Tamaraws were in control of the match, nearly doubling the lead in the 38th minute but Eric Giganto misfired point black.

FEU only needed a few minutes to seal the win, but UP, which was more patient on attacking in the second half, managed to score in the 89th minute on a header by Carlos Monfort.

But the Maroons couldn’t follow up in extra-time as the Tamaraws once again dictated the tempo in the last 30 minutes of the match.

UP lacked play sans league’s leading goal-scorer Jinggoy Valmayor, who was banned for two games for a direct red card, but FEU mentor said it didn’t make a big difference.

“We beat them with Jinggoy before. Even if he’s there, it won’t be a problem,” said Kim.

Game two of the best-of-three finals is on Sunday at the FEU-Diliman gym with the Tamaraws aiming for their first title since the 2010 season.