MANILA, Philippines—Nomads Auction Manila guns for the top spot when it battles Navy Red Juice Saturday in the United Football League first division at the University of Makati field.
Victory in the 2 p.m. match will give last year’s second division champions a perfect record in their first two games, allowing them to move ahead of opening-weekend winners Loyola Meralco, Army, Kaya and Stallion.
Short-handed Global and newly promoted Pasargad try to bounce back from opening-day losses when they collide at 4 p.m.
Nomads are hoping to ride the momentum of their narrow 3-2 victory over Pasargad in their first division debut last Sunday.
But while there were encouraging signs like the returning Darren Hartmann finding his feet in the team and Randy Musters and Phil Connoly scoring, the task of overcoming Navy has become tougher with the absence of attacking midfielder Steve Borril, who was adjudged best player of the second division last season.
Connoly scored the game-winning goal from a Hartmann assist against Pasargad, after Musters opened the scoring with a curling free kick.
Global will be without Fil-Spanish midfielder Angel Guirado, who incurred a red card in the 1-2 loss to Army.