Mighty Loyola gets past Green Archers to inch closer to UFL Cup title

MANILA, Philippines – Seeking its first major silverware after years of rebuilding, the 2013 United Football League Cup might just be what the Loyola Meralco Sparks have been waiting for. 

Like a shark already smelling blood, Phil Younghusband scored a brace on Tuesday, November 3, to send his team back to the Finals and prevent any upset the Green Archers United have in mind.

And at the end of 90 minutes, Younghusband walks off the Emperador Stadium in smiles as another team tumbles down to what has been a mighty Loyola side all tournament long.

For the second time in this year’s Cup, the Sparks once again came out on top of Chieffy Caligdong and the rest of the Green Archers, 2-nil, to inch closer to the trophy and face the winner between Pachanga Diliman and Air Force in the Finals. 

On a mission

Loyola, after acquiring key players such in Lee Joo Young, Joaco Canas, and Baba Sampana during the offseason, is looking to end its title drought since it began building its team around the Younghusband brothers in 2011. From Day 1 in this year’s Cup, the Sparks looked good and poised to finally do that, scoring 74 goals while conceding nothing.

But their mission was nearly derailed less than 5 minutes into the semifinals when Jessie Martindale struck in a magnificent bicycle kick to open the scoring. A raised flag from the linesman however prevented the somewhat unexpected script from happening and the scoreboard remained at 0-0.

Ten minutes later, Younghusband – who has always been one of most lethal scoring threats in the UFL – banked in the first goal of the game. Winning a free kick in the 14^th minute, Lee Joo Young, feigned a strike in the set piece that lured away Caligdong from his spot. The gap he left was all Younghusband needed to slot in the ball in the lower left corner beyond the reach of Patrick Deyto.

Like the perennial contenders that they are, Loyola came out with their full arsenal against the underdogs with the Younghusband brothers, Matthew Hartmann and the rest of the Sparks having their go. The Green Archers keeper Deyto though had a great day between the sticks, thwarting shot after shot including a searing one from 20 yards out by the younger Younghusband just before halftime.

The Green Archers however, refused to just be blown away as they contain Chad Gould – who had to take an early shower to make way for another new acquisition Robert Canedo in the 55^th. 

Younghusband then sealed the deal just before the hour-mark as he sniped in another one into the net coming off a free kick earned by his sibling.

Missed chances

The Green Archers had their best chance of the night in the 50th minute when Agbayomi Olowoyeye released a cross from the left flank to give Caligdong a good look at an empty goal but the Barotac Nuevo native bungled the opportunity with his clear-cut chance just grazing over the bar.

During a Loyola breakaway minutes later, Allan Auman – who struggled to keep in pace with the Sparks attacking unit all game long – desperately pulled down a streaking Lee inside the box. The referee however called the Korean for a foul instead, saving the GAU defender the ignominy of conceding a penalty. 

In the resulting counter, the Green Archers were awarded a spot kick after Roxy Dorlas’s late challenge on Caligdong. Caligdong went to the spot for the penalty but the national team skipper muffed the shot not once, but twice even after the match official gave him a retake, making matters worse for the losing semifinalists.

The Sparks, who are coming off a big 2-0 win over formerLeague champions Global FC in the Last 8, then did just enough to retain their lead until the final whistle to stay undefeated in this year’s UFL Cup.

Younghusband and the rest of the Loyola squad will take a shot at destiny when they meet Pachanga on Thursday, December 5, still at the Emperador Stadium while Caligdong will meet his former team, Philippine Air Force in the battle for third. – Rappler.com