UFL: Global FC threatens in second place, Army-GTI notches win

Global FC climbed into second place with a thorough 5-1 thrashing of reigning champs Stallion FC, while Army-GTI continued to move up the standings, via a 2-0 win over Pasargad FC, in UFL action, Thursday at the Emperador Stadium.

It was an unusually quiet night for what was being advertised as a huge game, the rematch of last year’s UFL League contenders. There has been a lot of bad blood between Stallion FC and Global FC because of the Rufo Sanchez case, so there was anticipation of a good battle ahead.

Team standings going into the second round of the League were also an issue. If Global won, they would be just a point behind League-leading Loyola Meralco Sparks FC (20 points on eight games). If Stallion won they would remain in fourth spot but would be just two points behind Kaya FC (16 points on eight games). It would also give them some distance from Army-GTI FC (10 points on eight games), who have slowly climbed up the ladder.

However, it took Global just three minutes to score their first goal, with Misagh Bahadoran getting a head on a ball from a Mark Hartmann free kick.

Despite the early score, there seemed to be a bit of miscommunication happening in the Global backline as Stallion’s Balot Doctora threatened time and again during the earlier part of the game. Amani Aguinaldo and Delon Patrick Yao started in central defense, as regular central defender Valentine Kama was injured. Keeper Roland Sadia had to scramble for the ball more than a couple of times.

While the defense was questionable, the offense was not, with Bahadoran striking again half an hour in. The Azkal got a head on the ball after it had been bouncing inside the keeper's area for what seemed like a whole minute.

Four minutes later, a cross from Mark Hartmann found Milad Behgandom, who headed it into the back of the goal, 3-0, Global up.

Moments later, Stallion got one back. A free kick taken by Hamed Hajimahdi, assisted by Doctora, found Simon Rota right by the goal. Rota looked like he headed it in, but the whole Global team was claiming a hand ball. Some of the players on the field tried to plead their case with referee Ariel Montana, but he just waved them all off.

There were more chances for Stallion towards the end of the half, as Global’s defense remained tenuous, but Sadia came up with a couple of huge saves for the yellow and blue-clad side.

There were more chances for Stallion in the early goings of the second half, as Global seemed to have left their scoring boots in the dressing room. The offensive hiccup did not last though as Bahadoran came alive again with a couple of good attempts, only to be spoiled by Stallion’s Wilson Munoz. At the 64th minute, Mark Hartmann chalked one up from a pass by Milad, 4-1.

Both teams then began to send in reinforcements. Stallion sent in their UAAP players, Matthew Nierras and Nathan Alquiros, who fresh off UAAP duties with the DLSU Green Archers. Global sent in Aaron Altiche, and later on, youth player John Kanayama.

Four minutes of added time was announced, and right at the 4th minute, Hartmann added yet another goal, for a 5-1 drubbing.

A clearly frustrated Stallion coach Ernie Nierras said after the game, "At least [they were] consistent,” grumbling about the non-call on the hand ball, saying that it happened for both teams. Nierras also had some words for his keeper, whose performance he found to be severely lacking. The Stallion coach, however, remains optimistic of their chances in the League, given that there are two more rounds to go, saying, ”Anyone can still win this.”

Global’s coach Leigh Manson was also combative about the refereeing in the game, remarking, "We're lucky we won." Manson was all praises for Bahadoran and Milad, but although his defense played better in the second half, he was not at all happy with their first half performance.

“We're getting better and better up front. They work hard on the passing, on moving, on finishing, during training,” the Scot said of his front line.  

Global play again on Saturday versus Green Archers United, in their first game of the second round, and again on Wednesday against Kaya. Asked whether the schedule would be a problem for his team, Manson said, “That’s old school football, we used to play like that all the time.”


Army-GTI FC turns back Pasargad FC

In the earlier game, Army-GTI FC trumped Pasargad FC, 2-0. With Pasargad’s regular goal keeper Russel Pierson back between the sticks, it seemed that Army might have a more difficult time getting goals in this game. However, it took Army’s Boogie Margarse Jr. just 11 minutes to find the back of the net.

The rest of the game was as expected from an Army versus Pasargad game: physical and with players from both teams wearing their emotions along with their kits. But three minutes of added time in the second half, and several yellow cards for both teams later, the GTI contingent in Army-GTI FC found their mark, with Shin Seok Jeon scoring off a retaken penalty kick. The retake was due to encroachment.

The win saw Army climb up to fifth in team standings with 10 points, one ahead of Pachanga PLDT Home Fibr, and also just a solitary point behind defending League champions Stallion FC. Pasargad remain at the ninth and last spot with 4 points. - AMD, GMA News