La Salle, UP down rivals in UAAP football opener

MANILA, Philippines - De La Salle University and University of the Philippines bested their respective rivals at the start of the 73rd UAAP men’s football competitions at the Erenchun Field in Ateneo De Manila University in Katipunan, Quezon City over the weekend.

La Salle whipped Ateneo, 5-1, behind rookies Alfredo Bustamante and Gio Diamante who nailed two goals each to provide the Green Booters their first victory worth three points in the tournament backed by Molten.

Bustamante fired a goal in the 20th and 61 stminute while Diamante blasted a goal in the 55th and then in 87th minute. Junpei Ogawa delivered the other goal in the 38th minute.

University of the Philippines, earlier, relied on the two goals of Gerardo Valmayor to upset reigning men’s champion Far Eastern University, 2-1.

Valmayor drilled in a goal in the 17th and 48 minute for UP before Jesus Meliza struck FEU’s late goal at 82nd minute. But the defending champion failed to force a draw as the Fighting Maroons held them goal-less in the remaining minutes.

Last year’s first runner-up University of Santo Tomas and University of the East fought to a 1-1 draw in the other game.

In the women’s side, Marianne Narciso scored in the 74th and 86th minute as the UST Tigresses blanked Ateneo, 3-0.

In the junior’s side, host Ateneo routed UST, 5-0, and FEU bashed La Salle Zobel, 5-0.

UP and La Salle will try to get their second straight victory when they take on separate opponents tomorrow in the men’s side, also at the Erenchun field.

La Salle meets UST at 1 p.m., followed by UP against host Ateneo De Manila University at 3 p.m. FEU will face UE also at 3 p.m. over at the Ocampo field.