MANILA--UP skipper Daniel Gadia showed why he was called up to the Azkals last month as the top-seeded Maroon Booters blanked UST, 3-0 in their Men's Final Four fixture on Thursday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
The burly midfielder had a hand in the two first half goals by freshmen Kyle Magdato and Kintaro Miyagi, coupled by Ace Villanueva's clean sheet to send coach Anto Gonzales to his fifth final in the last six seasons.
Fellow freshmen Rafael Resuma put the finishing touches on the convincing win as he scored deep into stoppage time, as they finally defeated UST in which they failed to beat in the regular season.
Magdato duly played well in the left wing in place of JB Borlongan who was suspended for this match as he pounced on a Gadia through ball, and fired a low shot past Zaldy Abraham in the 23rd minute.
Villanueva was rather unmoved throughout the match, but got the biggest scare a minute after they scored when he had to stop Renz Gumban's run inside the box, but senior Ronald Batisla-ong could not convert on an empty-net chance.
Miyagi then doubled UP's lead thirteen minutes later, as he was a receipient of another Gadia assist, chipping the ball past a flying Abraham.
Resuma put the result beyond doubt in the third minute in stoppage time as he beats Abraham to the ball and finishes in the empty net, as they seek to get their 17th UAAP crown and their first since 2012.
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