Defending champion Far Eastern University and University of the Philippines battled to a goalless draw while De La Salle beat Ateneo at the start of the UAAP Season 78 football tournament before a lean crowd at McKinley Hill Stadium in Taguig City.
The Green Booters struck a couple of goals late to fashion out a 3-1 win over the Blue Eagles while the Fighting Maroons got a solid outing from their keeper Ace Villanueva to preserve the draw in a rematch of last season’s semifinal.
“Overall, I’m quite satisfied with the performance,” said UP coach Anto Gonzales.
The Maroons are dedicating their campaign this season to their late defender Rogie Maglinas, who passed away last week after battling with rhabdomyosarcoma, or cancer of the skeletal muscles.
The league offered a moment of silence for Maglinas, who would have turned 20 last Saturday, before the match.
Rookie Jigs Cruz broke a 1-1 tie in the 89th minute, while Gelo Diamante iced the victory for La Salle with a header in extra time.
Greggy Yang opened the scoring for Green Booters in the 22nd minute with a free kick. The Blue Eagles equalized on a header by Cristian Castillo off a Mikko Mabanag cross a minute later.
It was a double celebration for the Archers, as De La Salle also nipped Ateneo, 4-3, in the lone women’s match with newcomer Sara Castañeda scoring the game-winning goal in stoppage time.
Football action resumes on Thursday at the Moro Lorenzo Field in Katipunan, with University of Santo Tomas playing Adamson University at 1 p.m., and National University battling University of the East at 3 p.m.