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| Kyler Escobar scored the match-winner for UST that forced another showdown against FEU in the UAAP men's football Final 4. UAAP Season 88 Media Team |
MANILA--University of Santo Tomas gave Far Eastern University's UAAP men's football title defense a crucial dent after stealing a 2-1 win in Game 1 of their semifinal encounter on Sunday night at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
The Golden Booters turned things around in the second half as they canceled out the Tamaraws' twice-to-beat advantage and forced a second match on Friday night back at the said venue.
“Well-deserved win against FEU. We’re down in the first half 1-0, pero we came back strong with puso eh,” said coach Marjo Allado.
Selwyn Mamon put FEU in front with a 28th-minute attack, which turned out to be the only goal made in the first half.
Mamon actually had another crack at it after finding the target in the 42nd minute, but to the UST hopefuls' sigh of relief, the shot only hit the crossbar.
Nine minutes into the second half, Archie Belluga hit the equalizer for UST, while Kyler Escobar completed a counterattack in the 78th minute to give his team the lead and eventually the win.
Despite the win, Allado is aware that it only meant forcing a Game 2.
“Hindi kami pwede maging overconfident d. itoFEU is a very strong team. They’re very technical; fitness-wise, mataas. Yung amin lang dito is having a good recovery, stay humble, and of course, we’ll be grateful walang na-injure sa amin kasi minus two players na kami. Preparation dito is recovery and the mental (side). Wag kaming masyado masaya dito. Masaya kami, but not so much. May second pa eh. This is a knockout game, so matira matibay talaga," he further said.
