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| Thanks to an adjustment in the Cup playoffs qualifying rule, UST will move on to the knockout stages. Mark Cristino/UFL (file photo) |
By Ivan Saldajeno
MANILA--With Global getting the boot from the UFL Cup knockout stages and the league deciding to revert to its old format, Nomads and UST gained places in the playoffs, which will start on Thursday.
The UAAP team clinched a seat in the knockout stages after the UFL announced that it will use its old format of bringing in the top 16 teams from the group stages to the playoffs no matter which group the clubs belong.
The format, a tweak from the previous playoff format that would bring in the top eight clubs, was amended so that the top four teams from each group would enter the do-or-die phase with the seeding to be determined after the group stages.
However, a quirk to the recent format happened when Bright Star, which was blanked in its group, got a playoff ticket following the withdrawal of Army.
With the second knockout stages format to be implemented again, UST took the place of Bright Star.
However, a quirk to the recent format happened when Bright Star, which was blanked in its group, got a playoff ticket following the withdrawal of Army.
With the second knockout stages format to be implemented again, UST took the place of Bright Star.
UST was supposed to enter the playoffs as the 16th seed, but the club moved up to 15th after the disqualification to Global on Friday.
[Related Story: Global ousted from UFL Cup after fielding ineligible player]
[Related Story: Global ousted from UFL Cup after fielding ineligible player]
The said development pushed Nomads, which finished 17th overall, to the playoffs in the process.
Nomads will face top-seeded Kaya on Thursday, while UST will battle Ceres on Saturday.
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