Y'husband fires five goals in Sparks win

MANILA, Philippines - Phil Younghusband unleashed five goals to power Loyola Meralco Sparks FC passed a listless Navy Red Juice FC, 10-1, and back into First Division title-contention in the United Football League yesterday at the Rizal Memorial pitch.

Younghusband, who was instrumental in the Azkals’ 3-0 bashing of Guam at the Panaad pitch in Bacolod City a few days back, sparked the ghastly rout by scoring five of his team’s first six goals that proved enough to give the Sparks a share of second with idle Global FC with 35 points on 11 wins, two draws and two losses.

Kaya FC leads the league with 36 points, 11 wins and three draws against a setback but only has two matches to go against three each by Global and Loyola.

The lopsided performance ended almost exactly the same way Loyola annihilated Navy, 14-0, in their first meeting last Feb. 19 at the University of Makati field where the popular Younghusband also scored five goals.

Younghusband now has a whopping 23 goals, an impressive 12 shots clear of elder brother James’ 11.

Another Fil-Brit Mark Hartmann ended up with a brace while Alex Camara and Koreans Park Min Ho and Kim Hyo Il accounted for the other goals of Loyola.

Navy’s Rolly Perez prevented his team from suffering further humiliation by scoring late in regulation on a penalty goal off a yellow by Loyola goalkeeper Rolando Cabaniero.

The Navymen remained at the bottom with four points on a 1-1-14 (win-draw-loss) record and should finish last in the 10-team division and the possibility of being relegated to the second division.

Meanwhile, Pachanga FC blanked Agila FC, 4-0, to nail the Second Division title and an automatic promotion to the First Division where the former will join the country’s best and brightest booters.