PAF Phoenix back on track in UFL football

MANILA, Philippines - Defending champion Air Force Phoenix went on a goal-scoring spree in the second half as it downed Nomads Auction Manila, 3-0, to jump back into title contention in the First Division of the United Football League at the University of Makati field last night.

Playing minus inspirational leader Chieffy Caligdong due to injury, striker Ian Araneta stepped up a notch as he broke a scoreless deadlock with a pair of missile-like goals in a span of five minutes starting on the 55th, enough to send the Airmen to their second straight win.

Super-sub Randy Bela-Ong finished off the Nomads booters with an 82nd minute goal. Air Force Phoenix, also the reigning Cup champion, hiked its total to seven points.

Stallion Gilligan’s FC, Loyola Meralco Sparks, Global FC and LBC-backed Kaya pack the magic four ahead of Air Force Phoenix.

The effort marked the second time that Araneta, a member of the Azkals team like Caligdong, scored a pair of goals following a come-from-behind 2-1 triumph over Navy Red Juice last Feb. 4 also at UMak.

That puts Araneta in the circle of the league’s top goal scorers with a total of four goals, just a shadow behind Stallion’s Lee Joo Young of Korea and Loyola Meralco Sparks’ massively popular and talented brother tandem of Phil and James Younghusband.

Nomads fell to its second loss against a win and a pair of draws to fall down at joint sixth with Army Fritz & Macziol on five points apiece.

It didn’t help that Nomads played 10-man after Nicholas Hacker was sent off on the 75th minute for a red card.

In Division II action, Union Internacional Manila overpowered Forza FC, 4-1, to join its recent victim along with Agila FC and Laos FC in a logjam at fourth spot with nine points each behind pacesetter Pachanga FC, No. 2 Diliman Victory Liner FC and No. 3 Team Socceroo FC.

Peter Amores opened up the scoring with a goal just a minute before the first half ended and then Bibi Pascual (68th), Shaheen Ahmad (76th) and Mohamed Ibraham (88th) joined the offensive to snare the win.

Forza’s only goal was provided by William Pajibo very late in the game when the outcome of the match was already decided. 

In the night cap, Loyola Meralco Sparks recorded the biggest victory in the first division as it annihilated a listless Navy Red Juice, 14-0, with Phil Younghusband leading the carnage with a league-high five goals that seized it the solo lead.

Completing the scoring rampage were three goals each from James Younghusband and Mark Hartmann, two by Jake Morallo and one by Alex Camara as the Sparks improved to a league best 15 points.

In the night cap, Loyola Meralco Sparks recorded the biggest victory in the first division as it annihilated a listless Navy Red Juice, 14-0, with Phil Younghusband leading the carnage with a league-high five goals that gave Loyola the solo lead.

Completing the scoring rampage were three goals each from James Younghusband and Mark Hartmann, two by Jake Morallo and one by Alex Camara as the Sparks improved to a league best 15 points.

Stallion Gilligan’s, which lost to Global FC Saturday, fell to second with 13 points.