Army blanks Stallion; Trias, Global draw

ARMY overcame Stallion, 2-0, yesterday even as newcomer General Trias FC held Global FC to a goalless draw in a pair of stunning results in the United Football League Cup at Nuvali fields in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna.

Newly promoted first-division side Pachanga-Diliman FC also got its campaign off to a rousing start by dumping Mendiola, 3-0, in Group C.

Ricardo Becite and Luis Brilliantes found the back of the net for Army, which is looking to put behind a nightmarish ending to its league campaign last season. The win lifted Army to the top of Group D that also features defending champion Air Force and Agila.

It was an upset of sorts as Stallion fielded what is considered a stronger lineup that included national player Jason de Jong and Spanish standouts Joaquin Canas and Rufo Sanchez.

More than their opponents, the teams had to cope with the hard and uneven pitch that stunted their play.

Global found General Trias, a team made up of Koreans, difficult to break down in their Group A encounter.

General Trias, which needed to go through the qualifying stage to reach the main draw, actually showed its quality with a 5-0 rout of Navy last Thursday.

Global had a couple of chances to put away General Trias in the second half with Sudanese striker Izzo El-Habbib spurning both, while Fidelis Nnabuife was denied by the crossbar.