REIGNING United Football League champion Global absorbed a 1-3 defeat to Singapore powerhouse Tampines Rovers on Wednesday in the first leg of their Singapore Cup quarterfinal tie at Jurong West Stadium in the Lion City.
Misagh Bahadoran scored in the 44th minute for the Filipino side, but his goal wasn’t enough as Tampines scored twice in an eight-minute spell in the second half to gain a decisive edge in the tie.
But Global still has an opportunity to overturn the deficit on Saturday, when the second leg is played at Jalan Besar Stadium.
The defeat was just Global’s second in 15 matches this season. Its only other loss coming via forfeiture in UFL Cup’s group stage.
An early strike from English striker Billy Mehmet put Tampines on top, before Bahadoran equalized from close range off a pass from Matt Hartmann.
But Singapore international Fazrul Nawaz fired from just inside the box in the 61st minute for the go-ahead goal, before Hafiz Sujad added another to inflict more misery on Global.
“This was a poor performance, but we will see now their (players) reaction on Saturday,” Manson said.
Another UFL side, Ceres-La Salle, was slated to play DPMM Brunei in the first leg of another quarterfinal tie at Jalan Besar Stadium.