UP Fighting Maroons midfielder Ramil Bation III shared in a post-game interview that when he made the shot to give the Fighting Maroons the lead in the finals against Far Eastern University, he knew the UAAP men’s football championship was UP’s, finally.
Ramil Bation III Redeems Himself
In an interview with Tinig ng Plaridel, the official student media publication of UP, Ramil said that he was given multiple chances in the first half to score but he just couldn’t capitalize on his open looks.
But during the extra time, Bation III made sure to redeem himself.
“Noong pumasok yung goal sabi ko ‘sa atin na to’ wala na, sa atin na talaga yon” he said.
Championship for the Ages
FEU’s veteran midfielder Karl Absalon drew first blood in the gold-medal match on Monday. UP’s team captain Charles Lobitaña answered in the last few minutes.
“Sa akin talaga is noong mga last minute na ‘yon na alam ko na makaka-score kami kasi sa amin lahat ng atake ganyan at saka ‘di kami ‘di kami tumitigil like ilang minutes yung natira pero andoon pa rin yung puso namin, ‘di kami sumuko kaya alam namin talaga na para sa amin ‘to,” Bation added.
With the score tied after 90 minutes, Bation again got an opportunity—and he seized it.
“Sa akin lang talaga is, ‘di ko nga alam nung time na ‘yun na kay Ken [Saludez] na yung bola, and then ‘yung sa akin lang is nag-cut lang talaga ako and then ‘yon sinipa ko lang tapos,” Bation recalled. “Sa akin lang talaga ang inisip ko lang talaga na dami kong chances kanina ‘di ko na score, so kailangan ko i-score talaga yun.”
Redemption Season After Falling Short Last Year
Ramil Bation added that facing the team that eliminatedn UP last season was added motivation for the Fighting Maroons to bring home the championship in Season 88.
“Para sa akin kasi worth it lahat ng ginawa namin. Siyempre kami noong last season na natalo kami kaya this season talaga grabe ‘yung trabaho namin kaya lahat ng mga sakripisyo namin since Day 1,” he said.
With the win, UP not only got redemption, but they also kept FEU from winning back-to-back championships.
