The UST Golden Booters sealed their Final Four berth after the FEU Tamaraws and the UP Fighting Maroons finished with a 2-2 draw in the UAAP Season 85 men’s football tournament at the UP Diliman Football Stadium on Thursday.
Following UST’s 1-1 tie against FEU on April 30, UST’s future rested on the outcomes of the matches involving the UE Red Warriors and the UP Fighting Maroons, as both UE and UP were only one victory away from claiming UST’s grasp of fourth place.
The Golden Booters was able to secure a spot in the semifinals as a result of a draw between FEU and UP, and a goalless draw between Adamson Soaring Falcons and Red Warriors, which both worked out in UST’s favor.
The Golden Booters capped their elimination round with 17 points, while UE and UP finished with 16 points apiece.
The Ateneo Blue Eagles and the DLSU Green Booters both had 20 points to lead the Final Four race, but Ateneo secured the top seed due to a +2 game quotient.
Since UST will face the league-leading Ateneo in their first semifinal match, UST head coach Marjo Allado said the team would not relax despite defeating Ateneo in the elimination round.
“We beat Ateneo in the elimination round twice, but it doesn’t’ mean na easy game sila sa semifinals. Pag-aaralan talaga kami. So kami focus lang din sa Ateneo. The players are really motivated ngayon no’ng nalaman nila na pumasok kami,” Allado told the Varsitarian
The Golden Booters and the Blue Eagles will have their knockout semifinals match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on May 11, Thursday, at 6:30 p.m.
