THE University of San Carlos got a step closer to winning the title outright after a comeback win against the University of San Jose Recoletos, 2-1, in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. collegiate football event on Nov. 23, 2024.
USC, the six-time defending champion, is now a perfect 4-0 and needs two more wins to win the title via sweep.
Maiko Silva gave the struggling USJ-R Jaguars the lead in the 13th and held on to it until half-time before John Cyril Sinoy got USC the equalizer a minute after the exchange.
In the 59th, Christian Vierh Agot got past the defense for the lead, which USC held on until the final whistle.
Meanwhile, the University of the Philippines also showed its fighting spirit, earning a comeback win against the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF), 2-1.
Robert Luis Aguilar got USPF ahead in the fourth before Carl Marix Carin got UP the equalizer in the 40th. Jaybe Abasolo struck in the 45th for a 2-1 lead for UP, the surprise of this year’s tournament.
After last Sunday’s matches, USC is at No. 1 at a perfect 12 points with UP next at nine. USPF is third at three, while USJ-R is winless in four matches.
On Nov. 23, USC will be taking on UP in what could be a preview of the final. If USC wins, it means it only needs to beat USP-F on Nov. 24 to win via sweep, while a win by UP means the two are likely to meet in the final as the Nos. 1 and 2 team.
In the high school division, Don Bosco Technological Center defeated Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, 2-1, thanks to goals by John Lexter Conde and Allister Louis Manlosa, while USJ-R defeated USC, 1-0, on a Cyrus Primar Ventura goal to move to the No. 2 spot.
DBTC is No. 1 with 10 points, while USJ-R and Ateneo are at Nos. 2 and 3 with six and five points, respectively.