Loyola, Stallion look to stay in step for UFL title race
Games today (Emperador Stadium)
Loyola vs. Pasargad 5:15pm
Kaya vs. Stallion 7:30pm
The race for the UFL championship is down to three teams and the Loyola Meralco Sparks look to stay in step with the leaders – Stallion and Global first and second, respectively – when they take on dangerous and unpredictable Pasargad at the Emperador Stadium today.
Loyola (9-2-1) is on a three-game winning streak while Pasargad lost to Pachanga last Saturday, 3-2. They nearly came back from a 3-nil deficit to make a game of it with two goals each from Emmanuel Mbata and Promise Jolomi. But it wasn’t enough. The Pachanga win though dropped Kaya to fifth place.
The Sparks would love to come away with the full three points against Pasargad with tough Kaya on the horizon. They know that any dropped points could spell the difference between hoisting some silverware or going empty handed for the second consecutive year.
The key here is the play of Mark Hartmann. When he is imperious in the midfield, it is easier for Loyola to move up that ball. In their last match against Air Force, he was almost taken out of the equation with the tight marking on him. Luckily for Loyola, James Younghusband, battling injuries all season long, chose the opportune moment to re-announce his entry by scoring the opening goal and nearly scoring a second.
They have been battling injuries to key players but their bench has responded. And they’ll need the team healthy and not suspended with top teams coming up.
In the main game, Kaya takes on league-leading Stallion. Despite being out of the title race, Kaya would love nothing more than to not only build for the future but to also play the role of spoiler. They’ve drawn their last three matches that have hurt their chances for a glorious comeback.
For the match, they will have OJ Porteria back on the pitch. The national team player missed their last outing as he was suspended on account of yellow cards.
But getting a W is easier said than done against Stallion whose confidence rises with every game. With a double within reach, the first in UFL history, expect Stallion to go all out.
Stallion was once thought to have a mediocre bench but instead have a deep team with over 10 players finding the back of the net. Having a lot of goal scorers has made striker Rufo Sanchez all the more dangerous as he can find teammates for a shot.
