Manila: Defending champion Far Eastern University (FEU) will aim for a fourth consecutive final appearance, while University of the Philippines (UP) seeks a second trip to the championship round in three years as the UAAP Season 88 men's football semifinals commence Sunday at Rizal Memorial Stadium.
According to Philippines News Agency, FEU will face off against University of Santo Tomas (UST) at 4:30 p.m., followed by Season 86 champion UP taking on De La Salle University (DLSU) at 7 p.m. The Fighting Maroons, with 29 points, and the Tamaraws, with 26 points, hold the twice-to-beat advantage. Meanwhile, the Golden Booters, with 18 points, and the Green Booters, with 16 points, are hoping to force rubber matches to keep their title aspirations alive.
FEU coach Jake Morallo expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance so far, stating that the semifinals mark a new chapter. "This will be a very good fight. Eliminations are done. It's another story in the semifinals. I'm just happy that the team performed well. Now we're in a position to work hard and I know our objective is to defend the crown," Morallo said in a news release.
UST aims to reach the final for the first time since Season 80 and end a title drought dating back to Season 69. UST coach Marjo Allado emphasized the importance of focusing on the immediate challenge rather than the twice-to-beat advantage of their opponents. "In UST's mindset, we don't care if they're (FEU) twice-to-beat, because our focus is on the first game first. It's an achievement for the boys, but our focus now is to qualify for the finals," Allado stated.
UP, which had nine wins and two draws, faced a wake-up call with a late loss to La Salle. Coach Popoy Clarino highlighted the importance of learning from that match as the Fighting Maroons pursue their first finals appearance and championship since Season 86. "The game against La Salle kept us grounded. Now we're eager to learn, and we're eager to try to improve what we can. We are going to be more prepared with the intensity La Salle is giving because we know they came in guns blazing," Clarino commented.
DLSU, the fourth seed and the only team to defeat UP, advanced to the semifinals after a triumph over the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, last season's runners-up. First-year coach Richard Leyble sees the underdog status as motivation for the Green Booters as they aim for their first finals appearance since Season 81 and their first title since Season 60. "I know they will go back and create a defense against us. The most important thing is that we prepare and follow the plan. Just have full confidence in the players ... even if we are underdogs, we will play because this is football," Leyble remarked.
