UFL: Global, Kaya roll to wins over Pachanga, PSG

MANILA, Philippines – Even this early in the season, the league’s contenders are slowly separating themselves from the pretenders as Global FC thumped Pachanga – Diliman, 4-1, while Kaya FC also notched a 3-1 victory over Pasargad FC in the United Football League, Thursday, February 6, at the Emperador Stadium in Taguig City.

It was a one-sided affair between the 2012 League champs and Pachanga as Mark Hartmann’s two quick goals in the first half put Noel Marcaida’s boys in a deep hole while OJ Porteria also scored a brace to power Kaya over a struggling Pasargad crew.

The former Loyola midfielder opened the scoring in the 24^th as he directed the ball into the bottom corner. It only took Hartmann ten minutes to double his output as he drilled in Marvin Angeles’ assist in the 34^th minute for 2-nil.

Up by two goals, Global continued to pester Pachanga’s defense with Misagh Bahadoran finding the net in the 40^th to give his squad an insurmountable 3-0 edge.

Pachanga, however, pulled one back as Nate Burkey fired a curling shot just moments before the halftime whistle sounded to cut their deficit back to two coming into the break.

Global defender Charles Pettys then netted in his second goal in the UFL as he made it a 4-1 game with a spectacular diving header 71 minutes into the game.

Global went on to maintain the scoreline until the final whistle to notch their fourth win this year and improve their slate to 4-0-1 for 12 points while Pachanga falls to 2-0-3 and stays sixth in the table with six points so far in the season.

Earlier in the night, Kaya FC also went home with the full three points as they inflicted Pasargad their fourth defeat in five games and pull away from Green Archers United and Philippine Army – GTI on the table.

Kaya had to climb from one-goal down as Hamed Fateh scored from pointblank in the 39^th to enter halftime with a 1-nil advantage.

Kenshiro Daniels restored parity just six minutes after the break as he combined with Richard Greer for a well-played free kick, 51 minutes in for 1-1.

Gunning to take their third win, Kaya relied on Porteria’s late-game brilliance as he put his side ahead in the 74^th, volleying the ball past the PSG keeper.

With the clock ticking away, the Azkals wunderkind then scored the assurance goal for Kaya in the 81^st minute as he drilled one in from inside the box to make it a 3-1 win for the crowd darlings.

Kaya, now with 10 points, distances itself from fourth and fifth placers GAU and Army, who both have seven points, to hold tight of the third position while PSG remains the only winless club so far with 0-1-4 slate to stay dead-last in the league table.

Global will face Team Socceroo in their next outing on Tuesday, February 1, Kaya tangles with Army next Thursday, February 13, while Pachanga and Pasargad will try to return to the winning track when they square off on Saturday, February 15.  – Rappler.com