UAAP football: UP, DLSU prevail

Matches Sunday: (FEU-Diliman)
9 a.m. – Ateneo vs UP (Men)
1:30 p.m. – UE vs FEU (Men)
3:30 p.m. – UST vs AdU (Men)

FAR Eastern University fashioned out a 3-1 win over Adamson University to stay within reach of table-topping Ateneo Thursday in the UAAP Season 81 men’s football tournament at the FEU-Diliman pitch.

The Tamaraws rose to 21 points, one off the idle Blue Eagles.

In other fixtures, defending champion University of the Philippines rallied from a goal down to eliminate National University, 4-1, while De La Salle avenged its first round loss to University of the East with a 2-0 victory.

The Falcons pulled one back in the 57th minute as Allen Lozano’s corner kick went straight to the net, before the Tamaraws regained the two-goal cushion when substitute Alex Rayos scored from a Gio Pabualan corner in the 73rd minute.

Nikki Canonigo slotted it home from a Poi Saldivar cross in the 43rd minute to put FEU ahead.

Saldivar then scored off a counter attack to double the Tamaraws’ lead two minutes after the restart.

The Fighting Maroons and the Green Archers remained level with 19 points, but the Diliman-based squad now sits in third place via superior goals. De La Salle, however, is two clear of fifth-running University of Santo Tomas in the race for the last Final Four berth.

UP overcame Ivan Ouano’s 54th minute goal, as Vince Parpan’s equalizer, Dane Saavedra’s go-ahead penalty, and the insurance goals by JB Borlongan and John Abraham spelled the difference.

The rookies delivered second-half goals for the Green Archers, as John Rhey Lagura struck in the 76th minute and Jovan Marfiga added another in stoppage time.