The FEU Tamaraws celebrate after scoring against UE in the UAAP Season 89 men's football tournament, October 4, 2026 at the UP Diliman Football Stadium. UAAP Media
MANILA — Far Eastern University is off to a spectacular start in the UAAP Season 89 men's football tournament, as the Tamaraws romped past University of the East, 10-0, on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.
Third-year forward Theo Libarnes sparked the Tamaraws with quickfire goals in the 19th and 21st minutes, setting the tone for the rout. Rustel Buenafe and Leoven Gatungay added goals in the 41st and 44th to give their team a commanding 4-0 lead at the break.
Veteran Selwyn Mamon entered the fray in the second half and immediately made an impact, finding the back of the net three times (47', 51', 55') in less than 10 minutes for a stunning hat-trick.
"It's a luxury for a team to have such strikers," FEU head coach Vince Santos said of Libarnes and Mamon.
"We make sure that we keep them fresh and limit their sanctions. We missed Selwyn in the final last year. Hopefully, we manage it better this year," he added.
With FEU already holding a 7-0 advantage, the Tamaraws continued to press until the final whistle. Karl Absalon added the eighth goal with a thumping header in the 67th minute, while Czam Acuesta and Dionisio Diaz completed the rout with goals in the 80th and third minute of stoppage time, respectively.
Despite the emphatic victory, Santos remained measured about the team's prospects, stressing that the Tamaraws still have a long campaign ahead.
"It's still early. I think we did better in the second half," he said. "We'll continue to work on our understanding as a team, and hopefully we continue to deliver better performances as the season goes."
Both teams return to the same venue for their next fixtures against De La Salle University. UE faces La Salle on Thursday at 4:30 p.m., while FEU takes on the Taft-based squad next Sunday at 2:00 p.m.