Camille Naredo

Action between UP and FEU in the UAAP Season 87 men's football tournament. UAAP Media/File

Action between UP and FEU in the UAAP Season 87 men's football tournament.

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UAAP Season 87 

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758264505696UAAP S87 MFT - UP vs FEU - Theo Libarnes and Liam Lampayan-0876.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Action between UP and FEU in the UAAP Season 87 men&#x27;s football tournament. UAAP Media/File"/>Action between UP and FEU in the UAAP Season 87 men&#x27;s football tournament. UAAP Media/File</div>MANILA -- The UAAP Season 88 men&#x27;s football tournament opens with a heavy three-match slate on Sunday, as schools seek a fast start in hopes of dethroning reigning champion Far Eastern University.Season 87 finalist Ateneo de Manila University will open the tournament against Adamson University at 2 p.m., followed by a clash between the University of the Philippines and University of the East at 4:30 p.m.De La Salle University and University of Santo Tomas will close out the day with the evening match at 6 p.m.All games will be held at the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus, Cavite.For three-time champion mentor JP Merida, it is crucial for the Blue Eagles to approach each game as if it were their last in order to improve on last year&#x27;s finish.Ateneo will come in strong this season with national team player Dov Cariño and striker Kofi Agyei, and Merida hopes the team&#x27;s fortunes will be different this time around.&quot;The target for Season 88 is to play the last game of the season and win that game,&quot; said Merida. &quot;But coming from that, we need to show our best, and we will take every game as a championship. We&#x27;re looking forward to having a great season for Ateneo.&quot;Another school eager to reclaim the crown is UP, which relinquished its title to eventual winner FEU in a Final Four clash that became notable for a melee between both sides.As a result, coach Popoy Clarino and players Charles Lobitaña and Eric Mink Cachuella will be suspended for the match against the Red Warriors, who will also miss Jaymark Hernan due to a carry-over double yellow card suspension from last year&#x27;s eliminations.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/9/18/uaap-announces-player-suspensions-for-season-88-football-opening-weekend-0047">READ: UAAP announces player suspensions for Season 88 football opening weekend</a></div>Despite these absences, Clarino remains confident in the Fighting Maroons&#x27; depth.&quot;Our team is built on trust,&quot; he said. &quot;We trust that whoever is left in charge or given the responsibility will step up to support the team in every way they can.&quot;The final match of the day will feature La Salle and UST, two teams with differing goals for Season 88.The Green Booters aim to return to the Final Four after two seasons in the wilderness, bolstered by offseason recruitment of new players and coaching staff. Meanwhile, the Golden Booters are targeting the championship, inspired by their juniors&#x27; team—the Junior Golden Booters—which defeated the 12-time defending champions FEU-Diliman Baby Tamaraws to claim the Season 87 high school crown.&quot;Oo, yan yung target with the inclusion of some juniors na nag champion last season,&quot; said UST coach Marjo Allado.Meanwhile, defending champion FEU will begin its campaign on Thursday against UP at the same venue.Season 88 will also see the return of the twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four for the first time since Season 76. The top two teams at the end of the elimination round of this seven-team competition will need only one win to reach the finals, while the third and fourth placers must win twice.The first round of Season 88 will run until November 23 at the latest before pausing for the Southeast Asian Games this December, with the season set to resume in January next year.

The UAAP Season 88 men's football tournament opens with a heavy three-match slate on Sunday, as schools seek a fast start in hopes of dethroning reigning champion Far Eastern University.

The UAAP Season 88 men's football tournament opens with a heavy three-match slate on Sunday, as schools seek a fast start in hopes of dethroning reigning champion Far Eastern University.

UAAP: Ateneo aims high, UP seeks redemption in men's football

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UAAP: Ateneo aims high, UP seeks redemption in men's football

ABS-CBN News

Published September 21, 2025 05:00 AM PHT

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