Global trips Pasargad, regains top

Buoyed by  strong effort from its substitutes, Global regained top spot in the United Football League with a hard-earned 2-0 triumph over a stubborn Pasargad side Tuesday night at the Emperador Stadium in Taguig City.

Izzo El-Habbib struck the opener in the 67th minute, but it was the reserves sent in by coach Brian Reid that changed the game for Global, which struggled to carve out openings in the first half, before finishing the match comfortably en route to its eighth win of the season.

Turkish winger Koray Gondozuglo struck a sublime long-range effort five minutes from time to wrap up the win for Global, which now has 25 points from 10 matches, just one point ahead of Stallion Sta. Lucia.

Loyola Meralco, getting four goals each from Phil Younghusband and Mark Hartmann, also returned to its winning ways with a 10-1 demolition of Army in the first match.

Beaten by Stallion, 2-4, last Tuesday, the Sparks recovered their sharp form against the Armed Forces side with Hartmann scoring in the third minute and Younghusband giving them a 2-1 lead at the break, after Luis Brilliantes equalized.

Cashing in on the gaps on the Army defense, Matthew Hartmann and Jang Joo-won also found the back of the net for the Sparks, who now have 23 points on seven wins and a couple of draws.