UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas remained inside the Final Four range, while University of the East kept its hopes in advancing to the next round alive yesterday in the UAAP Season 80 men’s football tournament at the FEU-Diliman pitch.
John Ian De Castro produced a hat-trick as the Growling Tigers rediscovered their old form with a 5-0 rout of winless Adamson University, while Kent Galaura’s second-half strike gave the Red Warriors a 1-0 win over National University in a heated match.
Steven Anotado announced his return from a two-game suspension with an eighth-minute goal before Marvin Bricenio doubled UST’s lead with a 35th minute strike.
De Castro then found the back of the net in the 54th, 81st and 89th minute for the Tigers to complete the domination.
UST rose to 18 points, five clear of joint fifth placers NU and UE.
Galaura went all the way in the 75th minute to score the winning goal for the Warriors, who like the Tigers have won their first second round match.
“Honestly, sobrang thankful lang ako at nakuha namin ang game. ‘Yun ang target namin today, ang makuha ang three points. ‘Yung pangarap namin to be in the Final Four, nandoon pa rin,” said UE coach Fitch Florence Arboleda.
Both teams went down to 10 men, as the Bulldogs’ Sean Epili and the Warriors’ Stephane Dagaraga were given straight reds.
Aside from Dagaraga, UE will also miss Louie Polinag in their game against defending champion Ateneo when the tournament returns on April due to a second yellow.