UFL: Izzo El Habbib fires Global past Pachanga

An Izzo El Habbib brace helped Global to a 4-0 win over Pachanga, Tuesday at the Emperador Stadium, with Jeffrey Christiaens and Carlos Guisso also getting on the scoresheet. All four goals came in the second half after Pachanga stifled the league leaders in the opening 45 minutes. However as Pachanga tired, Global stepped up a gear and put four past their foes. El Habbib showed his diverse skill set to score twice, towering above his markers to head home a Jerry Barbaso cross, before rounding the keeper from a well-weighted through ball later in the half. Christiaens curled a free-kick in, while Guisso smashed in a Christiaens corner after Misagh Bahadoran flicked the ball on to the central defender to wrap up a comfortable Global victory, with goalkeeper Kim Versales seeing red in the last minutes of the game for taking out Denis Wolf who was through on goal. First half Global were quickly the more dominant side in the game and almost opened the scoring in the eighth minute, as some neat passing gave Jeffrey Christiaens the chance to cross, but his hard delivery was tipped away by the Pachanga goalkeeper. Ben Starosta mishit the shot, before the ball bounced off another Global player to trickle out for a goal kick. It took some time for Pachanga to get their usual short passing game going, what with Global nearly drawing first blood anew after Christiaens headed over in the 18th minute from a Barbaso cross. Things then turned sour for Pachanga, as their new signing, Jinggoy Valmayor, had to be strecthered off, after Patrick Yao's follow through from a 50-50 clearance left the UP striker injured. A minute later at the other end, El Habbib got some space down the left wing and cut the ball back from the byline to Starosta. Ten yards out, Starosta took a touch to beat his man and drilled at goal with his left foot, but Versales saved well with his leg in the clearest chance of the game up to that point. With Valmayor off for over 15 minutes, the Pachanga management finally decided to bring on Jose Andoni Santos in place of their new striker, whose injury will be a big concern to the newly-promoted side. The situation got worse for Pachanga as Mohammed Jahanari twisted awkwardly when Bahadoran tried nipping the ball away from him, though it was a tackle from behind. That gave Pachanga their first shot on target, just before halftime, but they curled that free-kick into Roland Sadia’s arms, in goal for Global. With the game still goalless at the intermission, Pachanga had done well to shut down the attack of Global. In fifth place in the league, four points behind surprise package Nomads in fourth, they would need a result here to keep up with the UFL's top four. Second half Meanwhile, sitting at the top of the table on goal difference, Global would need to score to guarantee their position at the summit, especially with Loyola facing Kaya in the next game. And they came quickly out of the blocks after the break with Misagh Bahadoran turning his man. The ball fell fortuitously to Barbaso, who curled in a cross to El Habbib who towered above his markers to head home for his fourth goal in the league. Joining Mark Hartmann on four goals this season, he nodded Global in front in the 48th minute as they looked to control the game further. His side responded by creating more chances after going in front, the pressure lifted from them by scoring the first goal. When Starosta won the ball in the middle of the park, they strung some passes together, culminating in Izzo El Habbib finding Carli De Murga with the outside of his boot, the weighted through ball putting De Murga in on goal. Ashime covered well to pressure De Murga and tackle at the right moment, preventing a goal, but he took a knock in the process. El Habbib was then fed through on goal but under heavy pressure from Ashime, he poked the ball just wide. Global then won a free-kick in the 62nd minute. Jeffrey Christiaens got it on target, curling the ball around the wall. To Pachanga's dismay, Versales seemingly misread things, as the ball went in. Scoring in the middle of the net, questions will be asked of the placement of the wall and also the goalkeeper, who should be doing better at his side of the goal. El Habbib then made it three with his second goal of the game in the 70th minute, running onto a Bahadoran through ball, rounding the keeper, and slotting it into the empty net. It was now his fifth goal in five games putting him atop the scoring charts, though Mark Hartmann has the chance to reclaim that spot in the next game. Yu Hoshide then came off for Marwin Angeles in midfield in the 76th minute before Izzo El Habbib made way a few minutes later meaning he wouldn’t get his hat-trick, with Denis Wolf taking to the field. Carlos Guisso scored from a corner one minute later, after Christiaens whipped it into the back post. Misagh Bahadoran touched it on and Guisso drove the ball into the back of the net. That was Bahadoran’s last action in the game as he came off for James Gardner. Matthew Uy also came on for Carli De Murga, as the reigning UFL Champions began resting their starting players, though their on-pitch quality barely dipped. Things went from bad to horrendous later on for Versales, as he rushed out to block Denis Wolf, who was bearing down on goal. Given a straight red card, he ended a difficult game and will look to bounce back in their next assignment. Andrew Santiago, a defender, took over goalkeeping duties with their injury problems, meaning Pachanga had no substitutions left. The win kept Global firmly on top, three points above the rest of the pack, ahead of Loyola’s clash with Kaya. Pachanga will be disappointed by the scoreline, and their second loss in four days, but their tired squad can rest ahead of their next game, a tough fixture against the Stallions on March 14. - CLP/AMD, GMA News