The University of the Philippines (UP) finally scored a winning streak, escaping a scare from the winless Adamson University, 1-0, in another controversial UAAP men’s football tournament at home pitch.

Winger Francis Tacardon score the go-ahead goal in the 59th minute off a splendid one-touch buildup inside UP’s final third, with Karl Bugayong issuing the short assist.

The match, though, was marred with questionable officiating, with a number of uncalled fouls and handballs inside both squads penalty areas.

The Soaring Falcons had a chance to draw in the final minute of the game but Arjay Buenaobra’s header off a left flank set piece was short.

However, television replays showed what appeared to be a handball inside the six-yard box from a UP defender during the ensuing loose ball.

Despite the win, which boosted the Fighting Maroons’ chance to enter the final four, UP head coach Anto Gonzales was dissatisfied with his team’s performance.

“We don’t care about the standings, we want a good performance. A good all-around performance,” the outspoken coach quipped.

“[This is] not the performance we intended to put out in terms of effort, in terms of using their heads. They did not play smart. They lost out on the second balls, on the 50-50 balls. Cannot be. Cannot be,” Gonzales explained.

Nonetheless, the Fighting Maroons has scored 14 tournament points with three wins, five draws, and two losses and are just a point away from fourth placer University of the East with two games left in the elimination round.

The Soaring Falcons, on the other hand, holds on to their solitary point with a draw and nine losses.

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