THE UST Golden Booters thwarted the Adamson Soaring Falcons with a 1-0 victory in the UAAP Season 87 men’s football tournament on Sunday, Oct. 13, at the UP Football Pitch.
After a 1-0 defeat to the DLSU Green Booters last Oct. 6, the España-based squad bounced back, improving their win-loss record to 2-2, while the Marcelino squad remained winless, 0-4.
UST showcased its prowess as midfielder John Baito broke the deadlock with a clinical free kick outside the box in the 67th minute to seal the victory.
The Golden Booters stumbled out of the gate in the first half after committing several unforced errors that left them on the back foot early.
Co-captain and winger Andrew Ramos and midfielder Archie Belluga tried to bring momentum to the UST side, but the Booters committed two crucial turnovers, squandering potential scoring attempts.
Center-back Jarred Regis received a yellow card following a tense exchange on the field during the heated match in the second half.
Baito, who was named man of the match, delivered a standout performance that kept UST in the game, scoring the team’s only goal despite their early struggles.
“We are blessed, but there is still a lot to improve. We are steady but there are still many changes to be made to the play style against FEU.” Baito told The Flame.
UST coach Arman Esteban expressed relief at the Golden Booters’ victory despite a frustrating first half.
“We made some key adjustments to increase our attacks, and we capitalized on the foul, which was crucial for us… we need to train more on attacking and ball control, especially since they are senior players now, and they need to refine their game for the next match,” Esteban said.
The UST Golden Booters aim to remain in the winning column when they face last season’s finalist, FEU Tamaraws, on Oct. 17 at the same venue. F
