Global FC drubs Stallion in UFL League

MANILA, Philippines - Hot on the heels of its conquest of the season-opening UFL Cup tourney, Global FC kicked off its bid in the UFL League competition with a 4-2 drubbing of Stallion FC Sunday night at Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Skipper Misagh Bahadoran, who won the top individual honor in the Cup last month, continued his sizzling showing and scored a brace to lead Global to the victory that put it at par with opening-night victors Kaya and Loyola Meralco Sparks.

“We want to keep the ball rolling,” said Global coach Leigh Manson, whose team is looking to reclaim the title it held in 2013. “Stallion is a quick and aggressive team and we shouldn’t have allowed that one ball down the middle to beat us, but overall three points is vital because we’re keeping pace with Kaya and Loyola.” 

New signing Hikari Minegishi and Bahadoran scored back-to-back goals in a two-minute span inside the first 10 minutes to give Global the headstart.

Minegishi gamely tapped the ball home on a follow-up as Global drew first blood nine minutes into the match. Bahadoran himself struck barely a minute later, controlling the ball over the top then chipping it past Stallion keeper Roland Sadia for 2-nil.

Stallion pulled one back with Ruben Doctora firing home in the 33rd but Global’s two-goal upperhand was restored when new signing Ivan Petrovic forced Stallion custodian Roland Sadia to an own goal.

Bahadoran made it 4-1 with a fine left-footed strike at the 77th before Global conceded a penalty to that Simone Rota converted for Stallion with four minutes left.

The triumph was a welcome change for Manson, who saw his team lose to Loyola and draw with Green Archers at the start of League play in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

“It’s my best start to the league. It’s absolutely brilliant to start the league not paying catch up,” he said.

Meanwhile, Forza held sister club Green Archers to a 1-1 stalemate while Manila Nomads won via forfeiture over MSA Agila in the other matches.

GAU drew first blood five minutes after restart with Jimuel Arriola in the scoring end  but Forza equalized via Hayato Aoki nine minutes later as the two teams settled for one point apiece.