THE UST Junior Golden Booters grabbed a last-minute equalizer to salvage a 1-1 draw against the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the conclusion of Round 1 of the UAAP Season 86 boys’ football tournament at the UP Diliman Football Pitch on Sunday, Feb. 4.
UST’s Dwight Pancho scored the game-tying goal in the 97th minute to retain the Junior Golden Booters’ undefeated record this season.
It was a scoreless first half for both teams. Ateneo’s Xian Tumang drew first blood in the 68th minute to give the Blue Eagles a 1-0 lead.
“I think we lacked on the finishing touches today. Pero ‘yung pinakamagandang nangyari dito is ‘yung mga substitutes, nag-contribute,” UST head coach Marjo Allado told the Varsitarian. “Kahit sabihin na added time na lang, na-convert namin corner kick na ‘yun so credit to Dwight (Pancho) na rin.”
“What’s important today is hindi kami natalo. Kapag gising namin sa umaga, we’re still on top of the UAAP.”
UST remained atop the standings with seven points built on a 2-0-1 win-loss-draw tally, while Ateneo, which lost its first two games, gained its first point. The defending champion Far Eastern University-Diliman (2-1-0) and last season’s runner-up De La Salle Santiago Zobel (1-2-0) tallied six and three points, respectively.
The league has yet to announce the schedule for the second round of the eliminations.
