Lorenz Tortona’s first-half strike lifted the University of the Philippines to a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Far Eastern University, securing the Fighting Maroons the first twice-to-beat incentive in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Football Tournament on Thursday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.
The Xavier School product took advantage of a rare lapse by reigning Most Valuable Player and FEU goalkeeper Mon Diansuy in the 19th minute to score the match’s lone goal.
The sequence unfolded after sophomore forward Josh Garces applied heavy pressure, forcing Diansuy out of position. The loose ball fell to Tortona, who showed composure by calmly slotting it into a virtually unguarded net.
With the win, UP extended its winning streak to six matches and improved to 25 points in the standings, sitting eight points clear of FEU, which remained in second place with 17.
It also marked the second time the Fighting Maroons defeated the Tamaraws this season, following their 3–1 victory in their first-round meeting on September 25, 2025, in Vermosa.
In the nightcap, Ateneo and La Salle played to a thrilling 1-1 draw with Kofi Agyei’s perseverance paying off in the 80th minute when he scored the equalizer, allowing the Blue Eagles to salvage a crucial point.
Ateneo now sits third with 15 points, level with idle University of Santo Tomas, but ahead on goal difference.
Agyei had earlier chances to score: in the 58th minute, he missed, and goalkeeper Jason Salavante denied his rebound. He also had a clear opportunity for an early header just seven minutes into the match, but the shot struck the post.
For La Salle, rookie James Sibla opened the scoring in the 32nd minute. Sibla had also scored for the Green Booters in the first round, which similarly ended in a 1-1 draw on 5 October 2025.
