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UAAP Season 86 High School Boys’ Football Standings
UST 11 points (+7)*
FEU-D 9 points (3)
DLSZ 7 points (0)
Ateneo 1 points (-9)
*Finalist
Matches Friday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium
4 p.m. - DLSZ vs Ateneo
6:30 p.m. - UST vs FEU-D
The University of Santo Tomas made history on Saturday as they booked their spot in the UAAP Season 86 High School Boys Football Tournament final for the first time in school history.
A thrilling 2-2 draw against De La Salle-Zobel meant that the Junior Golden Booters netted their eleventh point of the season, guaranteeing them a top-two finish in the double round robin eliminations with three wins and two draws.
Midfielder Yuan Angelo Maniscan opened scoring after 25 minutes for UST, taking advantage of a miscommunication between the Junior Archers in defense.
Zobel found a response with a Julio Antonio Yoldi header two minutes into first half stoppage time.
Kent Laurenz dela Pena would retake the lead for UST early in the second half, managing to steal the ball from a Zobel defender inside the penalty box and then converting it in the 47th minute.
The Juniors Archers tried to find an equalizer, taking them until three minutes into stoppage time to find their answer, a Bacchus Ekberg free kick goal that made it an anticlimactic finish for the Espana-based booters.
The goal was the third of its kind for the defender in five matches so far this season.
Even with the result, UST head coach Marjo Allado reflects on adjustments they will need for their remaining two matches.
He shares, "Regarding sa game, we were leading in the first half and the second half. Yung concern namin yung endgame eh: ang daming players nag-cramps and we have to check that eh kung ano yung loading. Anyway, we survived. Qualified na kami sa final. Waiting na kami and first time ng UST juniors makalaro sa final so deserve nila yan."
With a spot in the final locked in and heading into their matchup against FEU-Diliman, Allado seeks to balance ending their eliminations on a positive note while also preventing key players from incurring suspensions.
The mentor says, "Yung concern namin against FEU, of course, is yung yellow cards lang. Pasok na kami so it’s a non-bearing game but we have to take it seriously kasi you’re going to the final, di pwede ganun attitude mo. Parang yung pinaghirapan mo the whole season, mawawala lang sa final. I think now it’s about recovery for the players and the mental aspect is the most important thing now kasi yung final naman matagal pa."
In the other game of the double-header, the Baby Tamaraws dispatched Ateneo, 4-1, with Theo Jico Libarnes scoring all four goals for the defending champions.
Three of those goals came in a span of six minutes in the first half. A penalty conversion in the 35th minute was then quickly followed by a brace in the 39th and 40th minute. The Cebu native capped things off with a cool finish in the 75th minute.
Head coach Albert Besa mused about his 19-year-old striker, "Well, Libarnes is expected to be scoring that way because he is a scoring machine from where we recruited him. However, lately, he hasn’t been focusing on his last touch and he’s been rushing and missing so many easy goals. These four goals should boost him and we should see the scoring machine that he really is supposed to be."
Ateneo did manage a consolation goal in the 85th minute, care of their captain Andres Gabriel Dumlao. The defeat puts the Blue Eagles out of contention with only a solitary point to their name after five matches.
With nine points, FEU-D will need a victory against UST to keep their title defense hopes alive, as Zobel also still has a possibility of clinching that berth playing in the first game of the upcoming doubleheader on Friday.
Besa notes, "I believe it’s a must-win for us because if La Salle comes up with a win, they sneak in. It’s good that we came from a convincing win so the momentum’s on our side."
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