UAAP football: UP booters open title defense bid with win over Ateneo

University of the Philippines sparked its title defense bid with a 2-0 win over Ateneo in the 74th UAAP football tournament at the latter's home field Saturday.  

UP's Juan Miguel Roy overlapped and found space inside the box and finished Jinggoy Valmayor's corner kick in the 23rd minute. Nii Aryee Ayi, meanwhile, effortlessly played the penalty kick in the 81st minute.   The defending champ's easy second goal came after Ateneo goalkeeper Rufino Mantos was immediately shown the red card for elbowing Raymark Fernandez inside the box. He was earlier given a yellow card for throwing a stone and contesting the referee's foul call, much to the heckling of the UP audience present.   Down to 10 men and their keeper thrown out of the game, Ateneo was forced to take Dominic Clavano off the pitch so Gabriel Faustino can replace Mantos as goalie. But the sub couldn't stop Ayi from burying the hosts' one goal deeper.   Season 73 runner up University of Santo Tomas also started with a 1-0 victory against FEU.   UST's Christian de Juan dribbled between FEU keeper Jestoni Celeste and defender Filsan Akut inside the box before slotting the game's lone goal a few minutes into the first half's end.   The bout between De La Salle University and University of the East, however, ended on a scoreless draw.   The women's match between Ateneo and La Salle also ended in a scoreless draw. —JVP, GMA News