UAAP football semis: UP’s inspiration and Ateneo’s improbable run

MANILA, Philippines – In the UAAP Season 78 men’s football semifinals, UP waylaid UST and Ateneo edged DLSU on Thursday, April 28 to set up a Battle of Katipunan final. Here are the backstories of a thrilling game day.

UP continue to draw inspiration from fallen teammate Rogie Maglinas. Hours after UP’s 3-0 win over UST, Maroons coach Anto Gonzales related how the loss of the winger to complications from cancer continues to spur on his side.

“After every training we end with a prayer and whoever leads always mentions Rogie,” says the coach.

“The team feels that Rogie is happy where he is now.” Maglinas passed away just days before the season began in February.

The words “For Rogie” have been sublimated into the back collars of the official uniforms of the men’s and women’s teams, who are both in the final matches of their respective competitions. (Gonzales coaches both squads.)

He also says that Rogie’s support group during his hospital stay, mostly friends and family from his province of Masbate, continue to cheer on the side. Some were there on Thursday, including Senator Pia Cayetano, who told me the game was her respite from a hectic campaign schedule. Gonzales said that Cayetano has even visited Maglinas’ family in Masbate a couple of times since his passing.

One of the many players who have stepped into the absence of Maglinas has been rookie Kyle Magdato from Bukidnon. Magdato slipped in the opening goal from the flank off a terrific ball from Daniel Gadia. The other two scorers, Kintaro Miyagi and Rvin Resuma, are also rookies. Miyagi’s goal, a cheeky scoop over UST netminder Zaldy Abraham, was the prettiest of the lot.

Gadia won the Man of the Match plum for his two assists. He is a threat to pick up the league MVP, especially if he leads the team to a win in the final.

 

UST, despite the bitter loss, has a bright future. The Tigers exited the championship race to a resolute UP team despite leading the league for much of the season. Their defense continues to be a work in progress. But their rookie defenders Ian De Castro and Raniel Dosano will only improve, as will fellow first-year men AJ Pasion, Renz Gumban, and Abraham. Santo Tomas lose two very fine veterans to graduation, Ronald Batislaong and Fidel Kue, but the rest of Marjo Allado’s side is built for the long-haul.

But for me the most eye-catching performance was by Karl Bronda. The Barotacnon midfielder cannot make a bad pass even if he tried with all his might. Whether it’s a simple lead pass or a 30-yard looper, he always seems to land it on a dime. He can also dribble himself out of trouble if the situation calls for it. UFL teams should be checking him out as early as now.

Bronda’s uncle was a team manager of the Air Force team and the younger Bronda has been training with PAF since high school. That no doubt helped shape him into the player he is now. I say he is a real contender for next year’s SEA Games team.

Ateneo’s Cinderella run, (and Mikko Mabanag’s career), goes on. The Blue Eagles looked lost in the first round, where they only amassed 9 points, 6 of those off wins against Adamson and UE, the league’s lesser lights. But in the second round, they beat DLSU and FEU among others to sneak into the Final Four. Now this, a gutsy penalty-shootout victory against their biggest foes, and no one is happier than fifth-year senior Mikko Mabanag.

The pint-sized midfielder is mouthy, fiesty, and plays with a chip on his shoulder. In the second round he was slapped a two-game ban for overzealously protesting match officiating from the bench.

When he came up to take his penalty you could hear a chorus of boos from the De La Salle crowd. Mabanag said he heard some smack from UP fans as well. He knows that he isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. And he doesn’t seem to care too much.

“I love all of this!” Mabanag exclaimed to me after the match, basking in the afterglow of the victory.

Apart from being a Wesley Gonzales in cleats, Mabanag proved he is a darn good footballer too, with a great performance under the crucible of Final Four pressure. He dished to Carlo Liay for the goal and served up a bunch of other key plays in the game. Incredibly, he and Liay, veterans of the Season 75 championship, can do it all again this year. But they have to go through UP, a side that stymied them in 1-0 losses in both regular season rounds.

Plus, Jarvey Gayoso departed from the second half with a bad sprain. He has a week to get fit.

 

De La Salle fell short again, but can console themselves with the goal of the season. It’s just before kickoff against Ateneo and Hans Smit, coach of DLSU, was fuming. 

Okay wait, he is always upset about something, and “foul” tends to be his default mood. But this was not related to anything on the field. Smit placed his bag on the bench, and in an instant it was gone.

After checking with the venue personnel and looking around a bit, Smit found the bag on a shoulder of a member of the UP team or entourage, who were leaving the bench after beating UST. Apparently they though the bag was owned by a member of their camp.

“Kunin ng UP ang trophy wag lang ang bag na ito,” joked the coach after.

But instead it was Ateneo who denied them a first title since 1998. Jose Montelibano lost the PSO lottery when his kick was saved by Ateneo reserve keeper JP Oracion to end the game. Final score, 1-1 AET, 5-4 PSO.

Much sympathy for Montelibano. My commentary partner Mikee Carrion was telling me before kickoff that he wanted to see Montelibano get into the game, since he had been used sparingly, perhaps due to injury. Smit introduced him in the second half and he made a great impact, chesting down for Gelo Diamante’s sensational goal. Unfortunately he will also be remembered for his missed penalty, which left him devastated and in tears long after the postgame prayer.

Montelibano can take consolation in the fact that thousands of penalty attempts have been struck worse than his, yet have gone in anyway. Unfortunately Oracion, who came in minutes earlier after rookie Kenn James got hurt, read it right and got a palm to it.

Some members of the DLSU contingent are saying on social media that the assistant referee raised his flag on the kick, possibly signaling an encroachment by the keeper. Main referee Ariel Montaña disregarded the flag and allowed the kick to stand.

Oracion is the unlikeliest of heroes. The starter in the beginning of the year, he lost his place to the promising James, but contributed when it mattered. Oracion is a beer microbrewer, who likes to whip up batches of Imperial Stout, Indian Pale Ale, and his most adventurous concoction, “Siling Labuyo American Pale Ale,” which he says is “citrusy, piney, and dangerously spicy.” When asked which he would chug down as a celebratory brew afterwards he said “whatever’s available.”

DLSU can take heart that their gifted striker, Gelo Diamante, has once again scored a super goal against Ateneo in the Final Four. The Davaoeño collected the chest-down from Montelibano, then half-volleyed with real conviction into the top corner beyond James. It was pure, unadulterated quality. We hope to see more of that when Diamante suits up for Green Archers United in the UFL.

But now UP and Ateneo take center stage next Thursday. One team a dominant front-runner, the other a surprise underdog. It should be a fitting climax to a great season.

Follow Bob on Twitter @PassionateFanPH. – Rappler.com