THE UST Golden Booters battled to an exhilarating 3-3 stalemate with the UE Red Warriors in the second round of the UAAP Season 87 men’s football tournament at the UP Football Pitch on Thursday, Nov. 21.
While UE kept its Final Four aspirations alive with a 2-6-2 win-loss-draw record, UST slid to a 4-4-2 slate.
The Red Warriors made an early impact after forward Jerome Abarca fired a goal in the second minute, 1-0.
Golden Booter winger Chris Valderama took matters into his own hands with back-to-back goals in the 23rd and the 27th minutes, 2-1. In the 32nd minute, winger Kyler Escobar’s decisive shot put UST ahead by two, 3-1.
UE’s Eldrin Madrid struck a goal a minute before the half ended, cutting the deficit to just one, 3-2.
The Recto-based squad regrouped late in the second half after midfielder Edmar Adonis converted a penalty in the box to seal a 3-3 draw.
In the heated match, UST center-back Jarred Regis incurred a yellow card, while defender John Garcia picked up two yellow cards.
The España squad will look to rebound and take down the defending champions UP Fighting Maroons on Nov. 24, at the same venue. F – Rishna Joy Maglinao
