It was the battle of Katipunan and the proud men of blue and white walks-off with their heads up high as this year’s UAAP season 75 men’s football kings.
The Ateneo Blue Eagles have dethroned the UP Fighting Maroons as kings of the UAAP men’s football to scores 4-2, clinching this year’s title and upsetting UP for a supposed three-peat.
The Ateneo Booters have managed to run away with the title after securing a lead during the penalty shootout. After not having any luck getting a goal going through the net under the regulation period and extra time that was given, both teams we’re clear to shoot for their hopes to be crowned champion in a breathtaking penalty shootout.
Instead of succumbing to the pressure-filled scenario, Ateneo turned things around and took in the added pressure as a likely motivation to finally take home the trophy back in the other side of Katipunan, back to the Ateneo campus.
“Mga players ko ready lang talaga silang sumipa sa penalty. Yung puso at lakas ng loob na sumipa andun,” an overjoyed Ateneo football coach JP Merida told the reporters.
“Hinding hindi namin papayagan na manalo ang UP ng three-peat. Ateneo lang ang pwedeng mag three-peat,” said Merida, who himself is a part of the Ateneo team that were three-peat champs from 2004-2006.
And it was evident that they were ready, as Yu Murayama, the redeemer during game one for Ateneo, stepped up onto the pitch again and calmly delivered another important goal, sealing their win over the defending champions and nabbing the trophy in the process.
