Roehl Niño Bautista, GMA News
University of the Philippines Fighting Maroon Jinggoy Valmayor's emphatic 61st minute goal versus the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers was enough for the UAAP men's football defending champs to keep the crown in Diliman, after a 1-0 nail-biter in the 74th season of the UAAP.
The sophomore striker found Jay Eusebio's through ball that sent the rival squad's defenses scrambling back to the box in vain.
"It feels so great na two years pa lang ako sa UP tapos dalawang championship na," said Valmayor, who was last season's top scorer and rookie of the year.
With their 1-nil win at the Ateneo High School field on Sunday, UP grabbed their third title in four years, bringing their championship tally to 16 crowns.
"We started off very, very bad [in the] first round," recalled Maroons head coach Anto Gonzales of their football stalemate slump. But redemption came sweet with a dominant second round effort that earned them a twice-to-beat advantage in the finals.
UST, meanwhile, was reminded of their 2-1 defeat last year as UP denied them the crown once again.
Striker OJ Clarino, whose collegiate football career ended on a losing note, said that he has his sights on academics.
"Marami pang ibang magagaling," said Clarino about his Philippine National Football Team gig. He joined the country's South East Asia Games U-23 campaign with Valmayor last year.
Earlier in the ladies' match, the De La Salle University Lady Archers forced a winner-take-all Finals meeting after forcing the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses to burn their twice-to-beat incentive.
After both sides went scoreless in regular time, the game was decided in a penalty shootout that the Green and White won, 4-3. – AMD, GMA News
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