UP, UST battle to a deadlock

c/o UAAP

Men's Football Matches on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

2 p.m. - UST vs DLSU

4:30 p.m. - UP vs UE

7 p.m. - Adamson vs FEU

JUDY Mae Prado scored a precious leveler to earn University of Santo Tomas a 1-1 draw against University of the Philippines in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Women’s Football Tournament on Thursday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

Prado, a midfielder out of Vigan, Ilocos Sur, put the ball at the back of the net in the 57th minute to score the Lady Booters’ first goal of the season and earn them their maiden point of the campaign.

“Kase from the bench siya, so we try to rotate players sa mga past games kase parang kumakapa siya sa match fitness ulit after a long break bit today,” said Coach Marjo Allado.”Yung goal niya nagbigay ng kumpyansa sa kanya.”

UP initially drew first blood in the match thanks to Anya Fuentes’ 35th-minute opener. However, the Fighting Maroons failed to capitalize in their chances after the halftime break. Forward Bianca Martina Torres had two attempts to put her name on the scoresheet, only for UST goalkeeper Lizlie Garcia to deny her both times.

Prado had another chance to score late in the contest but she failed to convert the tap-in. UP’s Maria Van Ommeren could have scored a dramatic late winner for the Fighting Maroons with a minute left in regular time, but Garcia was there again to save UST.

“The team is getting better and better,” said Allado. “Especially yung mga goal against samin is di gaano kalaki, puro 1-0. So today yung first goal ng girls na to nag bigay sa kanila ng ice breaker, ng confidence no and hopefully sa second round maka-score pa kami ulit.”

UST finished the first round in last place with one point and a minus-4 goal difference. On the other hand, UP remained in third place with four points and a minus-3 GD.