UST-DLSZ juniors duel kickstarts return of UAAP football

By Ernest Martin Tuazon

With the previous iteration of juniors football being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UST Junior Golden Booters will clash against the DLSZ Junior Archers to mark the return of the UAAP football competition tomorrow, 6:00 p.m., at the UP Diliman Football Pitch in Quezon City.

The University’s juniors football team seeks to exact their revenge on DLSZ who tarnished their post-season hopes with a 2–0 whopping that capped off Season 82.

The Junior Golden Booters, who have yet to win a championship in the UAAP, will then square off against the 11-peat seeking FEU-Diliman Baby Tamaraws on Jan. 29, 4:00 p.m.

In the seniors division, the UST Golden Booters will return to league play for the first time since the first round of Season 82 against the FEU Tamaraws on Feb. 19, 6:00 p.m., the UAAP announced today.

Morayta last reigned in the men’s football tournament last Season 77 when they went back-to-back, while Espana is currently on a 16-year drought with its last championship dating back to 2006.

In their next game, the Golden Booters are faced with a tall task as they will clash against the league’s defending champions Ateneo Blue Eagles on Feb. 26, 2:00 p.m.

UST, in its last encounter with Ateneo, experienced a 1–6 drubbing in the first round of the Season 82 men’s football tournament before all league sports were cancelled due to the pandemic.

The UST Lady Booters will cap off the return of UAAP football as they will face UP’s Women’s Football Team on Feb. 25, 6:00 p.m.

The University’s women’s football team recently participated in the 2022 PFF Women’s Cup where they posted a 3–1–3 win-draw-loss record and stunned eventual champions FEU last December.

All games across the juniors and seniors division will be played at the UP Diliman Football Pitch, respectively.