UFL: Sparks, Stallions to face-off for lead

Saturday will be a battle of the unbeaten teams as last year's runner-up Loyola Meralco Sparks face Stallion Gilligan's at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in the first division of the United Football League. The 4pm face-off is a rematch of the UFL Cup quarterfinals that the Sparks won, 2-1. Although the Sparks have been the crowd favorite since last year, Stallion Gilligan's are making a name for themselves in the first division after two consecutive convincing wins. They punished Navy Red Juice 6-0 and followed it up with a convincing 4-1 win against champion Air Force. Anchoring the Stallion offense are Korean striker Lee Joo-young and Ruben Doctora, who have combined for seven goals in two games. Stallion manager Ernie Nierras credits their early preparation for their success. "There's just a commitment from the players to get better," shared Nierras. In Saturday's opening game at 2pm, defending champions Air Force Phoenix will try to snap a two-game losing streak as they battle Army. On Sunday, the Green Archers will meet Pasargad at 4pm, followed by the match between Kaya and Navy at 6pm at the UMak Football Field, while Nomads face Global at 4:30pm at the Nomads Field in Parañaque. -- RAF/OMG, GMA News