UFL: Pachanga pummels Air Force in shutout

Pachanga dominated the Air Force, pulling off a 3-0 victory at the Emperador Stadium, Thursday night in UFL action.

OJ Clarino got Pachanga off to a great start as he headed his team in front from a Robert Canedo long free-kick in the fourth minute. Jezurel Tonog broke his arm soon after, slipping awkwardly on the ball as Anto Gonzales kicked through his arm while looking to steal possession

In the 10th minute, Andrew Santiago climbed highest from a corner to head in for a 2-0 score, before Ian Mariano blasted in a peach of an effort in the 18th to give them a commanding 3-0 lead.

Air Force came out better in the second half and made a game of it, with Ian Araneta striking the post, but the match was won in the first 20 minutes and the rest of the night was mostly just going through the motions.

First half

Pachanga was missing Jason Cunliffe for accumulated yellow cards, but were dominant early on, taking an early lead when OJ Clariño managed to run behind the back line to head them in front from a simple long ball.

Things got worse for the Air Force as Jezurel Tonog slipped when trying to control the ball, putting his arm out as he was falling, and Anto Gonzales, trying to kick the ball, went through his arm. It looked broken as Tonog was taken off, as things took an unfortunate turn for the Air Force in the eighth minute.

Two minutes later, Andrew Santiago climbed above his man at the backpost and headed into the corner of the net to double Pachanga’s lead. Afterwards, Louie Sobravega, in goal for the injured Kenneth Dolloso, saved a wide one-on-one opportunity, but Glenn Bulaquino bundled over Ariel Zerrudo 25-yards from goal, to get the first yellow card of the game. Canedo tested Sobravega, who palmed the ball away for a corner.

In the 18th minute, Ian Mariano made it three for Pachanga as he nutmegged his marker and smashed into the top corner with his left foot from 25-yards out. After Antonio Albor swung an elbow at his man in the 27th minute, the Air Force had a chance as Vince Braga drifted away from his marker and had a free header at goal. It was a bit too far out to make it a clear chance though, and he headed wide.

Paul Concepcion was next into the book in the 37th minute, and Pachanga could have had a fourth before the break when Zerrudo shot from close range. However, Sobravega was out quickly enough to block the shot before a free-kick from the right wing was just above the heads of the Pachanga men in the middle.
The Air Force started the second half brightly as Paul Concepcion played a clever one-two with Ian Araneta, but Concepcion was just a bit too wide and Leung matched his angles up well to block the effort. Nicolas Leonora was then booked for a foul on Ariel Zerrudo, who had burst between three defenders and was bearing down on goal.

Sobravega did well to tip away Clariño’s fierce effort in the 52nd minute before Clariño made way in the 63rd minute for Jay Eusebio. But the Air Force had the next opportunity as an attempted chipped through ball deflected into the path of Araneta, who fired against the post in the 67th minute.

Winnie Subere then came in for Randy Bela-Ong as the Air Force, depleted through suspensions and injuries, made their first change of the game. Pachanga could again have had a fourth goal, as a long ball in the 81st minute found Lopez and Zerrudo up front against a single Air Force defender, but Lopez’s pass was poor and the Air Force cleared.

Then from a corner, Pachanga flicked the ball on and Zerrudo got his last header, but it was just too weak and Sobravega plucked it out of the air. Sobravega then came off for Miguel David, while Martin Doctora replaced Vince Braga, as the Air Force made a double save.

Yves Ashime then made way for Deo Segunial, winding down the clock for Pachanga to record a 3-0 win and get the three points.

What’s next for the teams

Stopping a two-match losing and goalless streak here, Pachanga move level on points with fourth-placed Kaya after sixteen games. Eight points ahead of the Green Archers in sixth, though having played a game more, Pachanga will face off against the Archers on June 8 as they look to cement their top five position, or even break into the top four.

The Air Force, meanwhile, will be against Kaya on June 6, hoping they can arrest a run of four straight losses. With the relegation battle realistically now only between the two Armed Forces teams, the Air Force have a two point lead over the Army. That said, they have played a game more, and with tough games against Kaya and PSG to go, there are nervous times ahead for the Air Force. - RAF, GMA News