INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines--A fiery second-half performance powered Loyola-ATR KimEng past Global-Smartmatic, 3-0, for its first victory in the LBC-UFL Cup at Ascom pitch recently.

Loyola leaned on goals by Zaldy Maranon, Alvin Valeroso and Dexter Versario to barge into the victory column after bowing to Army-Phiten, 3-0, last Oct. 18.

Army whitewashed Sunken Garden,

10-0, to stay on top of Group B. The win also assured the Armymen of a berth in the quarterfinals.

Maranon struck in the 58th minute, chipping home from just inside the box after receiving a cross from Pedro Mortillero.

The diminutive Valeroso, a former member of the national team, doubled the lead from the penalty spot seven minutes later after he was fouled by the Global keeper inside the box.

Versario?s diving header off an inch-perfect pass from Gino Tongson completed the scoring.

Airforce-Rider also kept its top spot in Group C with a 4-2 victory over Lions-Alaska FC.

Union-Rudy Project FC, which was held to a scoreless draw by Lions-Alaska last Oct. 18, blanked Mama Africa to jack up its record to four points.

Kaya-Digiprint continued its onslaught in Group D with a 5-3 dumping of Mendiola-EGames.

A first-half hat-trick by Sudanese striker Izzeldin El-Habbib put the Kaya booters on their way to their second victory.

Yannick Tuazon broke the ice for Kaya in the 9th minute, before El Habbib, who scored twice in the 3-0 victory over Nomads on opening-day, struck in the 28th, 40th, and 45th minutes to give Kaya a 4-0 lead at the break.

Vaughn Melendrez, Mark Aaron Flores and Jerome Orcullo booted in the goals for Mendiola.

Nomads bounced back with a 1-0 triumph over Manila All-Japan KLine to stay on track of a quarterfinal spot. Cedelf P. Tupas