Post by c_d on Jan 14, 2012 0:38:42 GMT 8
Edit: removed UAAP schedule since it looks like there are changes.
UP begins bid for repeat in Men's Football
Don Gil Carreon, Friday, January 13, 2012.
The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons are banking on team
effort and tenacious defense to retain their title in the UAAP Season 74
football tournament, which starts tomorrow at the Ateneo de Manila
Football Field.
UP will match up against Ateneo in the last game at 3:15 p.m. De La
Salle University will open the season with a game against the
University of the East at 10 a.m., while the University of Sto. Tomas,
last season’s runner-up, will go up against Season 72 champion Far
Eastern University at 1 p.m.
UP Coach Anto Gonzales said his team is gunning for a repeat, but
noted that it will be hard to duplicate their Season 73 record of 10
wins and one draw in 11 games. Gonzales though set a more ambitious
goal: breaking their record last year of only surrendering two goals.
“Our strength has really been defense, and we only conceded two goals
last year. Hopefully we can hold opponents to zero goals this season,”
he said.
The UP mentor said he remains confident about the Maroons' chances
despite losing midfielder Stephen Permanes and Jeb Rances, the league
MVPs in Season 73 and 72, respectively, since most of the team is
intact.
“It will be a team effort again. Last year, everyone committed to our
championship goal and embraced their roles which is why we won despite
not being the most skilled team. [This season,] I’ll be relying on
team captain Nathan Octavio and our African player, Aryi Nii to lead
the team,” Gonzales said.
The UP coach added that he expects last campaign’s Rookie of the Year
Jinggoy Villamayor and defender Raymark Fernandez, who both played for
the Philippines in the previous Southeast Asian Games, to also step up
for UP.
Gonzales expects a tough game against Ateneo, which he noted beat them
last October at the Philippine University Games.
“I’m hoping for a win, but first games are usually the most difficult
because players will either be excited or anxious since it’s the start
of the season [and that affects how they play,]” he said.
For the rest of the season, the UP mentor expects UST to be among the
top contenders since the team has remained intact, while La Salle and
FEU will be the more dangerous opponents given the new talents
recruited by the team.
Gonzales also expects bigger crowds in this season’s games due to the
recent rise in popularity of the sport locally.
uaapsports.studio23.tv/Article.aspx?articleid=331
UP begins bid for repeat in Men's Football
Don Gil Carreon, Friday, January 13, 2012.
The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons are banking on team
effort and tenacious defense to retain their title in the UAAP Season 74
football tournament, which starts tomorrow at the Ateneo de Manila
Football Field.
UP will match up against Ateneo in the last game at 3:15 p.m. De La
Salle University will open the season with a game against the
University of the East at 10 a.m., while the University of Sto. Tomas,
last season’s runner-up, will go up against Season 72 champion Far
Eastern University at 1 p.m.
UP Coach Anto Gonzales said his team is gunning for a repeat, but
noted that it will be hard to duplicate their Season 73 record of 10
wins and one draw in 11 games. Gonzales though set a more ambitious
goal: breaking their record last year of only surrendering two goals.
“Our strength has really been defense, and we only conceded two goals
last year. Hopefully we can hold opponents to zero goals this season,”
he said.
The UP mentor said he remains confident about the Maroons' chances
despite losing midfielder Stephen Permanes and Jeb Rances, the league
MVPs in Season 73 and 72, respectively, since most of the team is
intact.
“It will be a team effort again. Last year, everyone committed to our
championship goal and embraced their roles which is why we won despite
not being the most skilled team. [This season,] I’ll be relying on
team captain Nathan Octavio and our African player, Aryi Nii to lead
the team,” Gonzales said.
The UP coach added that he expects last campaign’s Rookie of the Year
Jinggoy Villamayor and defender Raymark Fernandez, who both played for
the Philippines in the previous Southeast Asian Games, to also step up
for UP.
Gonzales expects a tough game against Ateneo, which he noted beat them
last October at the Philippine University Games.
“I’m hoping for a win, but first games are usually the most difficult
because players will either be excited or anxious since it’s the start
of the season [and that affects how they play,]” he said.
For the rest of the season, the UP mentor expects UST to be among the
top contenders since the team has remained intact, while La Salle and
FEU will be the more dangerous opponents given the new talents
recruited by the team.
Gonzales also expects bigger crowds in this season’s games due to the
recent rise in popularity of the sport locally.
uaapsports.studio23.tv/Article.aspx?articleid=331