San Beda blanks Benilde, nears four-peat in NCAA football

MANILA, Philippines – San Beda needed three second half goals to turn back an upset-conscious College of St. Benilde, 3-0, Thursday to inch closer to a four-peat feat in the senior division of the 90th NCAA football tournament at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Scoreless after the first 53 minutes of action, Jay-R Sandoval struck like a lightning and rolled in a goal that broke the ice while getting the Lions going as they scored two more goals from there.

The other goal-scorers for the Mendiola-based booters were Miguel Caindec (66th minute) and Jay Shaun Soberanop (82nd).

After that Sandoval rocket, St. Benilde, which won its first and only title three seasons back, was never the same allowing San Beda to stay unbeaten in seven matches including six in the preliminary stage to clinch the first round pennant.

The Lions could seal their fourth straight crown and 12th in the last 13 seasons if they could beat the Lyceum Pirates and Arellano University Chiefs in the second round.

Lyceum, which wound up second in the first round with 13 match points on four wins and a draw against a lone setback, overhauled an early disadvantage by smashing Arellano U, 5-1.

After going one down following a 21st minute goal by Arellano's Buen Baculo, the Pirates answered with rockets by James Dorego and William Dizon on the 23rd and 41st minutes, respectively, to go into halftime with a 2-1 lead.

Lyceum finished Arellano U off as Joshua Ucang (54th), Nino Aranas (77th) and John Canieso (84th) scored a goal apiece.