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UFL: Kaya, Loyola Meralco begin campaigns with wins


Kaya FC's Thomas Taylor (R), battles for the ball against Pachanga's Ariel Zerrudo Jr. (L). Mark Cristinov

Kaya FC and the Loyola Meralco Sparks began their 2014 UFL season with victories, the former prevailing 2-1 against Pachanga, and the latter trouncing Global 4-0, Tuesday at the Emperador Stadium.

Kaya, coming from a lackluster finish in last year’s UFL Cup competition, were matched against Pachanga-Diliman, who were looking to build on their best-ever finish in UFL Division I, fifth, and had won on opening day, blanking Socceroo 2-0 last Saturday.

Philippines U-23 goalkeeper Nick O'Donnell was in goal for Kaya, after last season’s regular keeper Saba Garamoudi exited from the club.

At the 26’, Kaya scored first, with Azkal Chris Greatwich beating Pachanga-Diliman’s defenders and directing the ball to the other side of the goal, well beyond the keeper's reach.

The second goal from Kaya FC came in at the 39’ by new acquisition Thomas Luke Taylor, from Emmanuel Mbata. It felt like a giveaway as Pachanga-Diliman’s defense line looked like it was waiting for an offside call that never came.

At the 67’ a thundering shot by Kaya’s OJ Porteria sailed across the face of the goal and almost made it 3-0 but the ball careened off the post.

In added time, Pachanga-Diliman’s Ariel Zerrudo Jr. pulled one back, but it was too late in the game for a comeback.

Loyola FC's Phil Younghusband (L) vies for a header against Global FC's Valentine Kama (R). Mark Cristinov

Sparks start strong

After the UFL Cup, the Loyola Meralco Sparks lost the services of Chad Gould and Park Min Ho, but otherwise the team was still intact. Against Global FC, and in what was a surprising move, coach Vince Santos started former National Team scoring dynamo Fred Gonzalez.

Over on the Global FC side, three new faces started - Fil-Am Charlie Cusi Pettys, Iranians Hamed Kakavan and Mojtab Miromohammadi. But perhaps the most important new face was Global’s new Head Coach, Leigh Manson, who had just replaced fellow Scotsman Brian Reid.

Rufo Sanchez was on the team roster but not in the venue.

What promised to be an exciting, high-scoring game ended up as rout. A miscalculation by Global players resulted in an early goal for Meralco, as Lee Joo Young zipped past two Global defenders to clatter in a goal at the 7’ mark.

Misagh Bahadoran had a chance to equalize at the 40’ but it rolled wide, much to the dismay of Global, especially since the ball had gone past the goalkeeper and seemed to just lack power.

More and more, it looked like injecting three new players into the starting XI was not the best choice for Global. Conversely, Meralco's defense looked impenetrable especially in the face of tepid offense. Global’s go-to striker, Izo Elhabbib is out for three weeks to a month, due to an injury.

A foul called on a Global defender right outside the box resulted in a free kick for the Sparks. It was well-taken by Phil Younghusband, and the ball rocketed through Global's wall, making it 2-0 for the Sparks at halftime.

In the second half, Gonzalez proved he never gets old, splitting the Global defense, leaving the usually active goalkeeper Roland Sadia glued to his spot, and heading the ball right into the net.

Mark Hartmann tried to pull one back for Global but he sent it just over the bar to bounce harmlessly on the wall behind the goal.

The last 15 minutes of the game just looked painful for Global FC. Even if their defense seemed to finally work in the latter part of the game, everything on the offensive end was repeatedly sent back by the mighty Sparks.

In added time, a foul that sent James Younghusband to the sidelines gave the Sparks a free kick, which Matthew Hartmann converted, making it a 4-0 victory for the Sparks.

"We weren't too sure about who they would play,” said Sparks’ Coach Vince Santos, who added that in the first ten minutes they wanted to see how Global would play, especially since they had new acquisitions in key positions. But winning the Cup has definitely changed the way the Meralco Sparks play.

”There's less stress since we've won something, the players can be more creative now, we can play better football without pressure,” Santos said. The lessened pressure is obvious on the field as there seems to be freer play and less frustration.

"I don't have to do much,” said goal-scorer Gonzalez. "These guys are great, that's why I'm in Loyola.” He added with a chuckle: “I’m medyo malas in the Cup, maybe a little luckier in the League.” Gonzalez, who turned 36 a few days ago, looks forward to scoring more goals for his team.

Global coach Leigh Manson shook his head as he came out of the dressing area. “[That was] not the debut we wanted,” he said, “4-0 in the opening game?” But the Scot isn’t about to just give up. “We’ll watch the video tomorrow during training, we had good possession but no end product, we can't win that way."

UFL action resumes on Thursday with Team Socceroo versus Army at 5:15pm and Pasargad FC versus Green Archers United at 7:30pm. - AMD, GMA News
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