MANILA, Philippines - UST striker Steven Anotado emerged as the league’s top scorer after the initial salvo of action in the UAAP Season 77 men’s football tournament.
Anotado slammed the ball to the back of the net six times, capping his scoring spree with a hat-trick in the Golden Booters’ 3-0 disposal of University of the East just before the tournament took a break for the holidays.
The 18-year-old forward has scored in all but one of UST’s five outings so far, connecting once against defending champion Far Eastern U, co-leader Ateneo and Adamson. He only failed to get into the scoresheet in their 0-2 loss to co-pacesetter University of the Philippines.
Anotado enjoys a two-goal lead in the race for the scoring plum against FEU’s Eric Giganto and UP’s Jinggoy Valmayor, who tallied four apiece. Giganto struck hardest in the Tamaraws’ 7-4 win over UST last Nov. 30, posting a hat-trick against the Thomasians.
UST’s Jean Mari Clariño, La Salle’s Gelo Diamante, Ateneo’s Carlo Liay and NU’s Paolo Salenga, followed next with three goals each.
The booters have been having a field day in scoring throughout the tournament thus far, accounting for a total of 66 goals in 18 matches.
The Maroons, who share the lead with the Eagles with 10 points, had 12 goals while UST netted 11 and AdMU, La Salle, and FEU made 10 apiece.
Action will resume on Jan. 10 at the Moro Lorenzo Football Field with holders FEU Tams taking on UE in the men’s side and titlist FEU Lady Tams battling DLSU in women’s play. Football hostilities, which play Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, will likewise revise their schedule to give way to the Jan. 15-19 visit of Pope Francis.