Aguilar goal knocks out UST

c/o UAAP

Men's Football Games Thursday at the UP Football Stadium

4 p.m. – DLSU vs FEU

6:30 p.m. – UP vs Ateneo

LUCAS Aguilar’s goal was the difference as De La Salle University earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Football Tournament on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

Aguilar, who came on as a substitute in the 70th minute for striker Adrian Bacolod, slalomed his way past the Golden Booters defense and struck the ball with his left foot to score the winner in the 89th minute.

“I didn’t expect it,” said the De La Salle Zobel alumnus, son of Wrestling Association of the Philippines president Alvin Aguilar. “All I did was get the ball, turn, fake one (defender), fake another one, and next thing I know (is that) I’m celebrating with my teammates. So yeah I’m very thankful for that.”

Aguilar’s goal came at the right time considering the Green Booters’ struggles in the final third. La Salle found it difficult to create any attempt at goal and force UST goalkeeper Jose Miguel Abada into making a save.  Amid this issue, coach Alvin Ocampo stated that his team’s attacking prowess is still a work in progress.

“We’re lacking a few players in attack talaga,” said Ocampo. “We really need to review and assess the team already because remember we didn’t conduct any tryouts.”

The Green Booters improved their ranking to fourth in the standings with 4 points and a -2 goal difference after one win, one draw and one loss in their first three matches.

La Salle will look to build on this win when it takes on Far Eastern University this Thursday at 4 p.m. on the same pitch.

On the other hand, the Golden Booters lamented their failure to finish several chances. Green Booters goalkeeper and captain Enrico Mangaoang made saves against Jan Patrick Baito and Tarshish Garciano while John Mark Garcia and Renan Ballespin failed to hit the target.

UST, now sixth in the standings with 3 points and a -1 goal difference after one win and two losses, will try to bounce back against Adamson University this Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at the same venue.