UFL: Stallions made to battle for the win as Nomads come close to upset

Stallions FC's Lee Joo Young spelled the difference in a defense-oriented match, producing the sole goal in a 1-0 win over Nomads FC, Thursday at the Emperador Stadium. Looking to take advantage of Global's 1-1 draw with Loyola, the Stallions were out to catch up to the UFL leaders, but the Nomads, lying in fourth place, wanted to hold onto their position with fifth-placed Kaya in action in the succeeding game. A resolute Nomads defense had conceded only eight goals in their seven matches entering this game, including four clean sheets, though up front only the Air Force, the league’s bottom dwellers, have scored less. The result was a difficult game for the Stallions, who needed to play well to break down the 2011 Second Division Champions. The Nomads also had some fresh ammunition, namely new signing Mico Mabanag, from the UAAP champion Ateneo squad, who was installed as playmaker in an attempt for more creativity on the pitch. Friso Klok, the Nomads keeper, was the busiest player on the pitch, keeping the Stallions out on several occasions before the woodwork helped him out when Rufo Sanchez clipped onto the bar. After a goalless first half, Lee Joo Young finally broke the deadlock in the 58th minute, heading in the rebound from another Klok save to a Sanchez effort on goal. The Nomads had a couple of good chances of their own, but Fidelies Nnabuife spurned the opportunities, in a game characterized by an otherwise dominant Stallions side frustrated by Klok, the Nomads defense, and the woodwork. First half The Stallions came out of the block flying as Rufo Sanchez blasted at goal from a tight angle, forcing the keeper Klok to beat the ball away in only the second minute. With the Stallions beginning to dominate possession, and Klok making another couple of decent stops, Mabanag nipped in to tackle Rufo Sanchez, and a long ball over the top found James Woldring behind the defense on the right wing. Woldring shot into the side netting as the Nomads showed they weren’t just parking the bus, and Mabanag even had to run the length of the pitch to try and join the attack in the eighth minute. Stallions continued to threaten again as Joaco Canas rose highest to glance a header at goal from a corner in the 18th minute. It was too far wide of goal however, and despite their pressure, the Nomads were once again proving difficult to break down. In the 23rd minute, Lee Joo Young fired over the bar as Rufo Sanchez left a low free-kick for the Korean winger, before Steve Borrill was booked in the 28th minute. From the free-kick, Park Bo Bae fired just wide of goal as the Stallions continued to bombard the Nomads goal but couldn’t find the right weapon to unlock the defense. Making an early substitution in the 36th minute, Mark Rivera replaced by Folongco. The Stallions were still controlling the possession, but failing to make the breakthrough. In the 39th minute, the Nomads countered again, but with their forward taking a touch too many on the left, he hit the shot too close to the keeper. Then the Stallions came the closest in the opening 45 minutes to a goal as Rufo Sanchez clipped the ball over Friso Klok, off his line to narrow the angle, but the ball bounced off the bar and Klok saved and held the follow-up in the 42nd minute. Second half Ferdinand Atangana came in at the break, making his debut for the Nomads, and a slide challenge later, was off the field with the medical staff treating his shoulder. Stallions again came out quickly, Rufo Sanchez was chipped through on goal, but the Nomads keeper was once more in the way of Stallions reaching their goal. Bervic Italia then found himself in the book for jumping in on Mabanag with an elbow raised after the ball had gone, receiving a yellow in the 48th minute. Atangana was substituted after the card was shown, Jason Arroyo replacing the quickest cameo in the UFL so far, and he had a chance in his first minute on the pitch, heading at goal from near the penalty area and forcing a great one-handed save from Guilherme Hasegawa, in goal for the Stallions. Finally, Lee Joo Young broke the deadlock in the 58th minute, off a Rufo Sanchez header at goal from a left wing cross. Klok made another good save from the UFL top scorer, but Lee Joo Young lost his marker to head in the rebound for his fifth goal in the UFL season. Soon after Klok again saved as he got down quickly to block from Sanchez with his legs while the Nomads tried to equalize from a 25 yard free-kick at the other end, but Steve Borrill couldn’t clear the wall with the shot. Mico Mabanag was given a yellow card in the 64th minute as the linesman spotted a foul off the ball, before Nomads made a double substitution. In the 70th minute the Stallions were awarded a free-kick as Danny Williams lunged in dangerously on Jeremy Hohn and with the Nomads captain’s studs rolling over the ball and into the side of the Fil-German’s leg, Hohn had to be stretchered off, though it could have been worse for Williams than the booking he received. Mabanag then went in late on a Stallion defender and was somewhat lucky to stay on the pitch, replaced soon after by Sam Fogg to avoid a second yellow. But the Nomads came close to equalizing in the 81st minute when Fidelis Nnabuife first blazed over the bar from near the penalty spot before a deft touch after beating his man to the through ball was tipped away by Hasegawa. What’s next for the teams Stallions earned their three points, to claim second place, one behind Global FC. They'll be up against third-placed Loyola next, on April 9, in a game which could see the loser fall out of the title race as the first round of games comes to an end. The Nomads, meanwhile, will regroup after this defeat and their third game in a row without a goal. However, they are still sitting pretty in a high mid-table position which is their aim for the season. They will face the Green Archers next in a game which could define their season, as a win would see them all but safe from the relegation spots, while a loss could see them dragged back into the mix. - CLP/AMD, GMA News