Graduating Junior Golden Booter Argos Alingalan scored a hat trick to lead UST past the Claret Red Roosters, 3-0, in the UAAP Season 88 boys’ football second-round opener Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Pitch.
UST improved to 5-1-1 for 16 points, while Claret dropped its fourth straight match to fall to 1-0-6 with three points.
Alingalan, who scored a brace against the same squad on Feb. 17, became the third player to record a hat trick this season, joining Claret’s Filbert Tacardon and De La Salle-Zobel’s Jayden Gayoso.
Alingalan put UST on the board in the 29th minute, slipping past the defense to give his side a 1-0 lead.
Four minutes later, he struck again off a build-up from Joshua Moleje and Kent Belgira to extend the Junior Golden Booters’ advantage to 2-0.
He completed his hat trick in the 71st minute, splitting the Red Roosters’ backline to cap the 3-0 rout.
With six goals in seven matches, Alingalan now tops the tournament’s scoring race.
Claret threatened late with attempts in the 81st and 85th minutes, but UST goalkeeper Enrique Sunico denied both to preserve the clean sheet.
UST’s Renzo Ubante had two late chances to widen the margin, but neither found the back of the net.
The Junior Golden Booters will look for a third straight win when they face the PAREF Southridge Admirals on Saturday, March 7. UST suffered its lone defeat of the season against the Admirals on Feb. 14.
