Global, Stallion retain 1-2 positions

GLOBAL and Stallion fought to a 1-1 draw Sunday night and kept their 1-2 positions in Group B of the PFF Smart National Club Championships at Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Satoshi Otomo put Global in front with a well-taken goal in the 59th minute, before Landry Nguene equalized in the 73rd minute for Stallion, which remained in second due to an inferior goal difference.

Later, Erco-Bro of Cebu rallied for a 2-2 draw against M’lang of Cotabato as the two earned their first points of the tournament.

Stephane Meleke struck a minute from time as Erco-Bro salvaged a point that also kept the Cebu side in the semifinal race.

But Erco faces a daunting task against title favorite Global today in the last day of Group B play. M’lang is also nursing slim hopes of reaching the next round with a win over Stallion slated today. Only the top two sides from the group will advance to the semifinals.

Global came out surprisingly sluggish as it found Stallion tough to break down unlike in its tournament opener against M’lang of Cotabato, which it drubbed, 10-0.

Having made the tournament through regional qualifying, Stallion delivered the tournament’s second stunning result after Loyola Meralco’s 1-0 conquest of two-time champion Ceres.
Otomo broke the deadlock with a left-footed effort after an assist from Mark Hartmann.
Landry struck on the counterattack  as Stallion followed up its 5-1 win over Erco with an impressive performance against the UFL champions.