THE UST Golden Booters opened the second round with a 2-1 win against the DLSU Green Booters in the UAAP Season 86 men’s football tournament at the UP Diliman Football Pitch on Sunday, March 24.
UST remained in the race for the fourth seed after inproving to a 3-3-1 win-loss-draw record, while DLSU fell to a 2-2-3 card.
Golden Booter Justine Marquez shined in his first UAAP game, opening the scoring punch with a goal in the 44th minute for a 1-0 lead at the half.
UST’s offensive momentum continued in the second half as Archie Beluga assisted Kyler Escobar for a conversion in the 70th minute.
“Deserve nila itong win kasi nag-usap ‘yong team na noong first round, we started slow, pero ngayon we want to start second round with a win to gain confidence and to catch up sa top four,” UST head coach Marjo Allado told the Varsitarian.
DLSU did not go down without a fight, as Paolo Go delivered the Green Booters’ lone goal in the 81st minute.
“I think we have to focus sa last 10 to 15 minutes of the game,” Allado said. “There’s something na kailangan lang namin i-address sa fitness.”
After a 10-day Holy Week break, the UST Golden Booters will face the cellar-dwelling UE Red Warriors at the same venue on Thursday, April 4, at 4 p.m.
