(Photo of John Lester Carandang courtesy of UAAP Media Group)
An unlikely hero came out of nowhere to lead the University of the East (UE) to the top of the UAAP men’s football standinfrom0Substitute John Lester Carandang injected life to a lackadaisical UE offense and scored a brace for the Red Warriors’ 3-1 win against winless Adamson University Sunday night at the University of the Philippines (UP) Football Stadium.
The graduating striker, inserted 75 minutes into the game, scored a late brace to break a 1-1 deadlock.
He scored his first goal in the 81st minute off a loose ball in the Warriors’ final third that caught the Falcon defense napping.
He followed it up five minutes later with a booming strike from the top side of the box off a back assist from Nikko Palacio.
It was the first two goals of Carandang in season 85.
“Talagang gustong-gusto kong maglaro. Gustong-gusto kong ibigay ang one hundred per cent ko,” Carandang said after the game.
It was a heartbreaker for the Soaring Falcons, who held the game tied for 46 minutes.
They scored their first goal for the season with a good penalty kick from central midfielder Darlton Digha.
The penalty was awarded when UE full back Jerome Ang fouled Adamson winger Carl Franz Mahinay from inside the box in the 35th minute.
UE opened their account in the 17th minute, with winger Palacio striking a wide-angled direct free kick from the left wing that caromed into the goal off the right post.
With the win, the Red Warriors hold a precarious lead with two wins and a draw with a +6 goal difference.
They have also scored the most goals this season with nine.
“Nagugulat kami sa scoring namin ngayon to be honest kasi di kami ganyan before,” commented UE head coach Fitch Arboleda after the game.
He added that he made sure to remind his reserves to provide instant impact when fielded.
“Yung last game namin against FEU, yung last minute ng mga games, dapat yung subs may impact. “Siguro tumatak naman sa isip nung bata pag binigyan ng change maglaro, talagang luckily yung timing pag sub namin on-time talaga. Naka-dalawang sunod yung bata. Talagang nagtrabaho yung bata nang maayos,” Arboleda added, referring to Carandang.
Earlier, the Far Eastern University (FEU) tied UE’s record but with an inferior goal difference of +3 with a 2-1 escape of winless De La Salle University.
An onside leakout by midfielder Khent Valenzuela off a through pass led to a goal in the 63rd minute for the win.
Forward Geri Martini Rey scored the early goal for the Tamaraws with a roundhouse strike off the left flank inside the box in the 6th minute but pint-sized La Sallian winger Mikio Umilin tied the game with an unguarded strike off Engatte Anoh’s assist in the 29th minute.
The heated match saw a red card booking on Tamaraw defender Mel Anthony Baylon in the 51st minute after a scuffle with La Sallian players in the midfield.
In the first game, Stephen Rafael Marasigan scored a brace for the University of Santo Tomas’ (UST) 2-0 win versus defending champions Ateneo de Manila University.
Marasigan’s goals, all scored midway in the first half, were the first two for the Growling Tigers this season.
With their win, UST, Ateneo, and UP are at a one win, one loss logjam in the middle of the standings, with UP holding a superior goal difference of +2.
***
