Global vs JP Voltes. UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE PHOTO/KC CRUZ
GLOBAL chalked up its third straight victory at the expense of JP Voltes, 4-0, Thursday night in the United Football League, but the club was in no mood to celebrate after thieves ransacked their locker room inside Rizal Memorial Stadium and took away P500,000 worth of items and cash.
Ivorian forward Arthur Kouassi struck with two goals while Hikaru Minegishi accounted for another goal as the newly minted UFL Cup champions extended their unbeaten start and increased their tally to nine points.
But the celebration was tempered when Misagh Bahadoran, who was just substituted from the game, rushed out to the Global bench to report the burglary. Bahadoran and Omid Nazari had entered the locker room only to find out his bag was missing.
Sources said thieves broke through a small window from outside the stadium.
Global CEO Dan Palami said he noticed some workers, who were working near the locker room, were still there at the half, but were nowhere to be found after the game.
“I’m quite concerned with that,” said Palami. “I don’t want to say it’s them, but it was unusual they didn’t log out their names for the day.”
Global and national team physiotherapist Wally Javier lost a bag containing his passport, iPhone 6 mobile and $600.
Global leaned on a solid second-half performance to gain top spot ahead of its clash with Loyola Meralco today.
An own goal from Jason Cutamora at the hour mark broke the Voltes resistance.
“I’m happy with the way the players responded in the second half,” said Global coach Leigh Manson. “Voltes are a very organized side, they made it difficult for us. But we got three wins out of three and this should give us momentum going to the Loyola game.”
Voltes kept Global at bay in the first half while also testing goalkeeper Patrick Deyto. Midfielder Yu Hoshide rattled the post with a free kick early on before Takumi Uesato forced a low save five minutes before halftime as the Japanese-powered side put the Global defense under constant pressure.
But the tide turned in the second half with Minegishi finally finding a way to penetrate the Voltes defense on the left flank. A surge into the box led to the opening goal as his cross was deflected into the back of the net by Cutamora in the 60th minute.
Minegishi was at it again seven minutes later before delivering a teasing cross for Kouassi to head home nine minutes from time. Kouassi scored another goal in stoppage time.