The UST Golden Booters closed the elimination round with a loss against the top-ranked Ateneo Blue Eagles, 3-2, ahead of the UAAP Season 87 men’s football tournament Final Four at the UP Diliman Football Pitch, on Sunday, Dec. 1.
No. 1 Ateneo will be No. 4 UST’s opponent in the Final Four, which will start on Sunday, Dec. 8, at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.
“Alam namin non-bearing game sa amin pero lalaban kami para sa pride kahit pinasok nila mga top players,“ UST head coach Marjo Allado told the Varsitarian.
“Tignan natin sa semifinals kasi medyo ni-reserve muna namin other players,” he added, noting that the Golden Booters played mostly second-stringers in the game.
Richard Songalia II scored the opener in the 40th minute, giving UST a slim 1-0 advantage at halftime.
Dov Cariño, who did not play in the first half, then recorded a brace for Ateneo, nailing goals in the 58th and 67th minutes to give the Blue Eagles the upper hand.
Leo Macquiling then extended Ateneo’s cushion to two with a conversion in the 70th minute.
Japjap Baito tried to close the gap for UST with a strike in the 83rd minute, but the Golden Booters fell short of overtaking Ateneo in the waning minutes.
“Motivation namin para sa Final Four na nakadikit kami ngayon,” Allado said.
Ateneo prevailed against UST in their first-round clash, 2-0.
