MANILA -- University of the Philippines clobbered University of Santo Tomas, 6-1, to claim their place in the Final 4 of the UAAP Season 87 men's football tournament on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Field.
Ramil Bation III scored a hat-trick in the first half to send the Fighting Maroons to their second straight Final 4 appearance, where they will now try to defend their title.
On the other hand, UST's loss meant that De La Salle University and University of the East still have a chance at the last spot in the Final Four.
Ralken Comla hit a perfectly-placed through ball to a prepared Ramil Bation III to draw first blood in the 17th minute.
Jarred Regis erased UP's advantage in the 28th minute after lasering in a volley off a set piece.
However, the Fighting Maroons quickly reclaimed the lead, 2-1, in the 30th minute after captain Marc Tobias from a perfectly-timed right-foot finish.
In the 40th minute, Bation nabbed a brace after exploiting Jose Abada's mistake and extending UP's lead to two.
Bation completed his hat trick two minutes later following a calmly-hit finish that found the back of the net.
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Ramil Bation III of UP celebrates after scoring against UST in the UAAP Season 87 men's football tournament on November 24, 2024 at the UP Diliman Football Field. UAAP MediaAfter halftime, UP's onslaught continued as Lorenz Tortona and Joses Azur delivered goals in the 49th and 54th minutes, respectively.
"We've always trusted Ramil with his ability. Even though he couldn't score in the first round, the work he puts in day in and day out is very vital to the performance of the team. He's a fantastic player and also a very good friend," UP coach Popoy Clarino said of their hat-trick hero.
"The target before the season was, of course, to get into the Final Four but when you enter the Final Four it's a whole different game. So with us clinching the Final Four spot now, we can now focus more on getting better and more prepared for the Final Four. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going," he added.
UP clinched third place with 22 points on a plus-15 goal difference. They will play Far Eastern University at the same Diliman field on Thursday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m.
UST needs to win its next game against Ateneo on Sunday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. to clinch the last Final Four spot.