MANILA, Philippines - Green Archers United FC ended a string of heartbreakers as it humbled Army Fritz & Maxziol FC, 3-1, to snare its first victory in the First Division of the United Football League at the University of Makati field Monday night.
After scrambling for goals in the first 40 minutes, the Hans Smith-mentored Archers finally hit their strides and came through with a couple of goals in just a three-minute span courtesy of Gabriel Agbayomi Olowoyeye and Shaq Shapay Jhonson.
Then Armyman Nestorio Margarse Jr. struck like a lightning with a 50th minute goal, stunning the Taft-based booters a bit while breathing some life to Army’s hope of turning things around in its favor.
But it came to be short-lived as Nikko Paolo Villa responded with a goal of his own five minutes later and Green Archers United played solid enough defense by practically parking the bus to preserve the win, their first after dropping four hard-fought matches and drawing one.
The Archers now have four points to jump from a share of last place with Navy Red Juice to solo eighth spot.
Army, for its part, remained at joint No. 6 with Nomads Auction Manila on five points apiece and could have leapt to solo No. 5 ahead of reigning League and Cup champion Air Force Phoenix, idle with seven points, with a victory.
The Archers though had other things in mind.
After showing fighting and entertaining football in their four losses that saw them giving their powerhouse opponents Loyola Meralco Sparks, Kaya FC, Global FC and Stallion Gilligan’s FC the chill before folding up in the end, the Archers finally came through and hang tough enough to secure the first win.
The Sparks, spearheaded by the massively popular and talented Younghusband siblings Phil and James, currently leads the way with 15 points capped by a 14-0 annihilation of a listless Navy Red Juice Sunday at UMak.
Stallion Giliigan’s is two points off the pace with 13 points while LBC-backed Kaya and Angel Guirado-led Global are not that far behind at joint third with 12 points apiece.
Army seeks to bounce back from that heartbreaking setback as it clashes with military rival Navy Red Juice at 7 p.m. tonight at UMak and then tackles a fancied Juan Cutillas-coached Kaya FC on Saturday at 2 p.m. also at UMak that will cap its busy, three-game schedule this week.