S87 Men's Football: UST ends 8-year spell vs UP
UST-UP First Round UAAP Season 87 Men's Football
Game Natin
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas bounced back in a big way, pulling off a 1-0 squeaker over defending champion University of the Philippines to end a 12-match winless spell Thursday night in the UAAP Season 87 collegiate men's football tournament at the UP Football Stadium.
Goalkeeper Jose Miguel Abada produced his first clean sheet of the season as the Golden Booters parried the Fighting Maroons attempts for a second-half equalizer to secure their first three points.
Kyler Escobar scored the match's lone goal in the 28th minute, following up on an error by UP keeper Alfonso Gonzalez.
“All credits sa players kase naglaro sila ng all heart, talagang buhos sila. Yung mga tacticals nila nandun tsaka yung mga sinasabi ni Coach Marjo (Allado) sinunod,” said Golden Booters assistant coach Arman Esteban as Allado deflected the win to his trusted deputy.
UST rebounded from last Sunday's 1-2 loss to University of the East.
It was also the Golden Booters’ first win against the Fighting Maroons since March 10, 2016, hacking out a 1-0 victory. UST lost nine and drawn three matches since then.
"Nag-step up sila matapos ang pagkatalo nila sa huling laro sa UE. Talagang nag-step up ang mga players dahil gusto nilang makabawi at manalo, lalo na laban sa UP na ilang taon nang hindi nila natalo. Kaya't kahit papaano, ngayon, nakagawa na ng kwento ang mga bata na nanalo sila against UP,” expressed Esteban.
UP, which lost several key players from last year's championship run, had squandered several chances to level in a bruising rematch of the Season 86 semifinal.
The Fighting Maroons missed the likes of Season 86 MVP and Best Striker Francis Tacardon and defender Giap Bongolan, who wrapped up their UAAP careers as champions last May.
UST will next face De La Salle on Oct. 6.
Up next for UP is a showdown with Adamson University on Oct. 3 when the league resumes after a break.
