Pachanga tops UFL 2nd division

PACHANGA clinched the second division title of the United Football League with a game to spare after a 4-0 blanking of Agila Saturday night at the University of Makati field.

With the title, the Red Phoenix earned promotion to the first division starting next season in their maiden foray in the UFL.

The last team to pull off the trick is Global, which became the first team to earn promotion two years ago.

Pachanga will take the place of Navy in the top division after the Armed Forces team won only one match in its first 16 matches this season.

Navy’s 1-10 loss to Loyola Meralco that dashed its hopes of staying in the top flight came at almost the same time Pachanga sealed the title Saturday.

“We’re ready for the challenge,” said Pachanga team owner Freddy Gonzalez, who also leads the league in scoring with 33 goals this season.

A former national team standout who recently got an invite to return to the squad, Gonzalez scored in the 89th minute, capping a dominant display for Pachanga which could finish the season undefeated with a victory over Diliman FC in its final match.

Joven Bedic, Robert Canedo and John Paul Merida were also on target for Pachanga, whose season was highlighted by an astonishing tally of 121 goals.

The season looked primed for a thrilling finale when Pachanga and its closest rival Diliman battled to a draw in their last match of the first round.

But while Diliman dropped points in a loss to Cebu Queen City three weeks ago, Pachanga stayed relentless, sweeping its first 10 matches in the second round and giving up just seven goals this season to underscore its dominance.