Ateneo XI lifts UAAP crown

Sophomore Jarvey Gayoso capped his sensational season with a first half strike that lifted Ateneo past Far Eastern U, 1-0, for the UAAP Season 79 men’s football crown before a huge Sunday crowd at Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Gayoso, the Most Valuable Player of the season, fired home his tournament-high 12th goal from close range in the 39th minute as the Eagles wrested their seventh crown overall and their first since 2013.

The victory also ensured that Ateneo finished the season unbeaten, with a draw against FEU in the elimination round as the only time the Eagles dropped points in the tournament.

At the heart of the championship run for coach JP Merida’s side is Gayoso, whose scintillating play on attack highlighted Ateneo’s awe-inspiring form all season long.

“We deserve this,” said Merida. “I’m so happy.”

A year after getting dominated by University of the Philippines in the finals, it was Ateneo’s turn to celebrate, while dealing FEU, which last won the crown in 2015, a painful defeat.

The Tams stunned the Maroons, 1-0, in the semifinals to forge a finals duel with the Eagles.

Paolo Bugas, the tournament’s Best Midfielder, was also determined to give FEU a championship on his last playing year for the Tamaraws. But it was Bugas’ errant back pass that gave Gayoso the opening he needed to beat Rey Joyel on the FEU goal.

Joyel denied Gayoso’s initial effort, but the Ateneo striker was the quickest to react on the rebound to tuck home the goal.