FOUR days after losing its kingly marbles on the pitch, the UST Golden Booters appeared on the verge of a total breakdown.
But instead of sulking in misery, the Season 69 champion still found something to cheer about, as they registered a modest third-place finish with a 1-1 draw against the University of the East last February 14 at the Ateneo Erenchun Field.
The defending champions who failed to advance into the finals after yielding a must-win situation against Season 69 bridesmaid Far Eastern University, solidified their hold of the third spot with a 13-goal aggregate against their Recto-based counterparts.
As of presstime, FEU had collected 21 goals to lead the pack, while Ateneo reaped 15 for second place going into the best-of-three finals series.
Golden Booter Sorito Judal scored on a penalty kick in the fifth minute of the first half following a hard tackle from UE’s Rolando Aljecera to push UST ahead, 1-0.
UE however came up with the equalizer 35 minutes into the game as Erwin Briones curled home the match’s second penalty kick off a tackle from UST’s Brenz Gallardo.
The Golden Booters then spent the rest of the second half thwarting UE’s offense to preserve the draw and the superior goal quotient.
UST, which started its Season 70 campaign on the wrong foot, nonchalantly took a quiet first half in stride, only to be ambushed by FEU on its tracks, yielding a 1-3 decision in a make-or-break Sunday last February 10.
With the loss, UST virtually kissed its back-to-back title aspirations goodbye, registering only 12 goals for a 4-3-2 win-loss-draw card at the end round of the second round.
“Defensive lapses allowed FEU to score easily. That’s football. We’ll rebuild in the off-season and try to bounce back next year,” coach Marjo Allado told the Varsitarian.
UST kept FEU’s first-half scoring in check but the Morayta-based squad methodically eased their way out of their España-based counterparts’ defense come second half while patiently mapping their offense from the fringes.
The marginal point then arrived in the 65th minute courtesy of striker Francis Gustillo, who prodded a neat grounder from the left side of the net to put FEU up, 0-1.
Moments later in the 68th minute, midfielder Jovanie Simpron calmly rolled in FEU’s second goal after leaving UST goalkeeper Johnson Lee sprawling on the ground following a nifty one-on-one encounter.
The Golden Booters, however, found a ray of hope in skipper Judal who then delivered UST’s first goal in the 70th minute to avert a possible shut-out.
But long-ball passes in an attempt to find an unmarked man within scoring range, backfired for the España-based squad as Simpron stuffed one past Lee anew in the 88th minute, putting to bed any UST comeback for good.
Prior its FEU debacle, UST played the spoilers role in a thrilling 3-1 upset of league-leading Ateneo De Manila University last February 6 at the opponents’ turf.
The Blue Booters got off to a jackrabbit start after striker James Arco opened the sccoring in the 5th minute.
Not to be outdone however, Judal announced his return from a one-game suspension in the 13th minute, blasting one from inside the penalty area to knot the count at one apiece.
UST then seized the lead, 2-1, as Season 69 Rookie of the Year David Basa found the back of the net with a bullet header off a corner cross in the 30th minute.
Ateneo’s fielding woes persisted in the second half, allowing UST to dominate both ends of the floor with its scrappy on-ball plays.
UST striker Javier Clarino completed the unlikely rout with an emphatic free kick from the corner that grazed past the Ateneo goalkeeper in the 85th minute.
“We mixed up our defensive formation this time after our first round loss against Ateneo,” Allado said. “The mix-up created more scoring chances for us; the more chances the better.”
Earlier, the Golden Booters eked-out a 1-0 win against De La Salle University last February 3.
Last January 31, UST settled for a scoreless draw with University of the Philippines (UP) which saw Judal earning a red card 10th minute after excessively questioning the referee’s no-call against a UP defender who allegedly tackled him from behind.
UST barely regained its senses, fashioning a 2-2 standoff with FEU in its first meeting last January 27, after absorbing two straight losses at the hands of UP (0-1) and Ateneo (1-2) last January 23 and January 20, respectively.
The black-gold-white booters though opened the season with a pair of hard-fought victories over the University of the East (1-0) last January 17 and the returning La Salle (2-1) last January 13.
Denied entry
Like their male counterparts , the Lady Booters also bombed out of the finals, after mustering only a 4-2-2 win-loss-draw record which yielded a better goal difference from Ateneo and La Salle at the end of the elimination round.
The España-based booters let out their frustrations via a 3-0 drubbing of UP last Feb. 13 at the Ateneo Ocampo Field.
Mary Ignacio opened the scoring against the hapless UP squad in the 35th minute, swerving her way into the goal.
Ignacio struck anew in the 70th minute of the contest before Aprilyn Reyes rounded out the scoring in the 89th minute, slipping past defenders to put the Lady Booters up, 3-0.
The Season 69 bridesmaids finally exorcised the demons of last season as they posted an impressive 2-0 win against defending champions FEU last Feb. 10.
UST quickly raced out of the gates from the opening whistle as striker Ignacio slipped past the offside trap and let loose a powerful grounder in the 15th minute to put the Lady Booters up, 1-0.
Former Davao-under 17 standout Herlyn Mae Salmon padded UST’s lead in the 60th minute after faking left, going right then finishing with a powerful strike that found the upper left corner of the goal.
Things got heated in the ensuing plays after the Season 69 titlists repeatedly threatened to turn the tables around. But the Lady Booters’ defense proved impenetrable, thwarting wave after wave of FEU offensive en route to its second straight win. UST had earlier outclassed Ateneo, 2-1, last February 3.
With the score tied, 1-1, heading into the final minutes of the match, Ignacio escaped Ateneo’s tight marking to knock in the marginal goal in the 81st minute.
UST took the lead back in the first half on Salmon’s 40th-minute floater before Ateneo striker Mary Jacinto unleashed the equalizer in the 70th minute.
Last January 30, the Lady Booters suffered a 1-3 loss to arch-nemesis La Salle.
Despite keeping La Salle at bay for the entire first half, the Lady Booters still trailed, 0-1, after a defensive lapse paved the way for Fiona Mackenzie’s running strike in the 34th minute.
Three minutes later, Clarissa Lazaro teed-off from the penalty box to hike La Salle’s lead, 0-2. La Salle’s Jessica Ryon then doused any UST uprising when she lofted the ball over goalkeeper Desiree Saligao in the 80th minute. Ignacio scored a consolation goal in the 89th minute.
Earlier, UST fought tooth-and-nail against a gritty Ateneo squad but in the end settled for a scoreless draw last January 24 at the opponents turf.
The match was a war of attrition from the opening kick-off as an intense midfield battle for possession ensued. The Lady Booters gained the upper hand in the second half, however, as they wrested control of the midfield.
UST then launched a barrage of crosses from the wings toward Ateneo’s defensive line in an attempt to score the marginal goal but to no avail.
Before facing Ateneo, the Lady Booters lost to FEU (1-2) last January 20, won over UP (2-0) last January 16 and drew with De La Salle (0-0) last January 13. With reports from Ana Mae G. Roa
