Sanchez goals propel Stallion past Air Force

MANILA, Philippines - Rufi no Familiar Sanchez came through with two goals as Stallion Penson FC beat reigning champion Air Force, 5-1, to snatch the Group D lead in the United Football League Cup at the University of Makati field in Makati Tuesday night. Sanchez struck early with an eighth minute rocket and then followed it up with another goal on the 43rd minute to power the Stallion booters to a 2-nil lead at the break. Joaquin Canas, Korean Lee Joo Young and Mario Javier Clarino fi nished off the Airmen with goals on the 56th, 58th and 72nd minute, respectively, with Ian Araneta accounting Air Force’s lone goal on the 84th minute. Sanchez’s two goals raised his output to seven, just one behind Cup-leading Masood Shadideh of Pasargad FC while Stallion took the Group D lead with nine match points, a point ahead of Army, which dropped to No. 2 with eight points. Air Force fell to joint third with Sta. Lucia FC with four points. In the only other match, Shadideh scored on the 43rd as Pasargad forced a 1-1 standoff with upset-conscious General Trias to close in on the leaders at No. 3 with seven points. Global FC leads Group A with 10 points while General Trias, which relied on Song Ji Hun’s goal on the eighth to give his team the early lead, remained at No. 2 with eight points.