Golden Booter Daniel Nartey’s lone goal lifted UST past the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 1-0, in the second round of the UAAP Season 85 men’s football tournament at the UP Diliman Football Stadium on Sunday.
Nartey scored the only goal of the match in the 36th minute.
“We had a mindset of getting the win no matter what because we need a win to climb to that Final Four,” Nartey told the Varsitarian.
UST preserved its lead after Golden Booters’ goalkeeper Miguel Abada fended off three wide attempts of the trailing Blue Eagles.
UST head coach Marjo Allado credited the Golden Booters’ defense for sealing the crucial victory.
“I also credit the defenders kasi when you look at the game, in the last ten minutes, Ateneo was attacking na. [Junuel] Fianza, [Uriel] Villacarlos, [Abrielle] Belgira, and even [RJ] Jarandillo, they managed to defend well,” Allado told the Varsitarian.
From sixth place, UST rose to solo fourth with 16 points on a 5-1-5 win-draw-loss record, while Ateneo, which had a 5-2-3 record, remained tied with the DLSU Green Booters with 17 points built on similar 5-2-3 records.
The FEU Tamaraws emerged as the league-leaders with 18 points.
The UST Golden Booters will cap off their second round-campaign against the FEU Tamaraws at the same venue on April 30, Sunday, at 4:30 p.m.
