Gen Trias booters blast Socceroos

MANILA, Philippines - General Trias continued its giant-killing ways as it brought down Team Socceroos, 2-0, to seize the Group A lead from reigning League champion Global FC in the United Football League Cup at the University of Makati field in Makati City Thursday night.

Korean strikers Song Myung Soo and Lee Jeong Mu struck with goals one after another to break a long scoreless match in the first 50 minutes and send the General Trias booters to the top of the heap with seven points on two wins and a draw.

General Trias, which had to go through the grueling qualifiers where they played and eventually beat Division II teams to make it to this Cup, thus surged past Global FC, a team it held to a scoreless deadlock last week.

Global, which topped the League early this year by edging Kaya on goal differential, fell to No. 2 with four points on a win, which came against Pasargad, 3-1, in the league opener last Oct. 2, and a draw.

The rookie club’s other victory came at the expense of traditional Division One fixture Phl Navy, 5-0, last Oct. 4.

Loyola Meralco Sparks, meanwhile, turned back Laos FC, 2-1, to open its title bid.

New recruit Chad Gould broke the ice in the 24th minute before James Younghusband made it 2-0 after heading a goal off brother Phil’s muffed attempt that struck the crossbar.

Lester Villanueva then knocked in a header of his own off a right cross by teammate Mohammad Ghasemi that sailed past back up goalie Mark Sorongon, suiting up in the absence of starter Ref Cuaresma, on the 84th minute to keep Laos’ hopes for an upset alive.

But the Sparks just made enough defensive adjustment to preserve their first win that sent them atop at Group C alongside Pachanga FC and Nomads FC on three points apiece.

Meanwhile, action resumes today with Dolphins United FC taking on Diliman Victory Liner FC at 4 p.m., Agila FC facing off with Army at 6 p.m. and Pasargad battling Navy at 8 p.m. at the UMak.