The UST Junior Golden Booters booked their third straight finals appearance after escaping the De La Salle-Zobel (DLSZ) Junior Green Booters, 2-1, in the UAAP Season 88 boys’ football semifinal on Saturday, March 28, at the UP Football Pitch.
The Junior Golden Booters will defend the title they won in Season 87 after dethroning then 12-time reigning champion Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws.
UST will face the winner of the do-or-die match between FEU and PAREF Southridge Admirals on Wednesday, April 1.
“Ang priority lang namin ngayon ay to get the boys ready [for the final] physically and mentally [to the point] na pagdating nila sa game is they are ready to give their 100%,” UST assistant coach David Basa said postgame.
“One mistake lang p’wedeng mawala ‘yong game so every training, sinasabi namin na ito ‘yong kailangan ninyong gawin. ‘Yong focus dapat laging andiyan and ‘yong antenna namin dapat laging ready sa danger,” he added.
Josh Moleje scored the opening goal in the 30th minute off a rebound from DLSZ goalkeeper Jacob Salavante’s chest, 1-0.
The Junior Green Booters equalized in the following minute as UST’s backline collapsed, allowing Iñigo Ramirez to slip the ball past UST goalkeeper Icko Sunico, 1-1.
Roy Panunciar Jr. delivered the go-ahead goal in the 56th minute after breaking through the DLSZ defense on the right wing, 2-1.
Panunciar, Earl Bahan and the rest of the Junior Golden Booters had chances to put the game out of reach late in the match but were unable to convert.
The championship game will be on April 10 at the same venue.
