Kaya overcomes Globe side in fight-marred tiff

MANILA, Philippines - Sub Janrick Soriano struck late in stoppage time as Kaya FC nipped Globe Archers United FC, 2-1, in a fight-marred UFL League division one match at the new Emperador Stadium in McKinley Hill last Tuesday night.

Receiving an excellent throughball from midfielder Toshi Hosoe at the eighth minute of stoppage time, Soriano made a blistering dash to the goal and blasted it home to seal it.

The LBC-backed Kaya picked up its first victory in two matches for three points (1-0-1) for fourth spot.

Loyola Meralco Sparks, banking on a 22nd minute strike by Freddie Gonzalez, earlier edged Pachanga Diliman FC, 1-0, to seize the solo lead with six points on a 2-0-0 slate.

“Wala na akong inisip noon kundi pumasok (My sole intention was to attack the goal),” said Soriano, who checked into the highly charged fixture only in the 85th minute.

“We just tried to give more speed in our attacks, that’s why we brought in Soriano,” said Kaya coach Maor Rozen, who was among those tossed out in the aftermath of a bench-clearing fracas that broke out at the 74th minute.

Archers’ captain Chieffy Caligdong and Kaya defender Eddie Mallari got entangled and exchanged heated words, an incident that led to pushing and shoving as more players joined the fray. 

Rozen entered the field to pull away his players. Later, Archers team manager Monchu Garcia was seen pushing Kaya keeper Saba Sadeghi and then GAU player Elle Cagayanan got off from the bench to kick Kaya’s Dario Dakic. 

Officials ejected Rozen and Garcia and issued an outright red card to Cagayanan as well as yellow cards to Kaya’s Mallari, Sadeghi, Dakic and Kross Ubiam and Archers’ Caligdong, Jovanie Simpron, and Gabriel Oloweyeye.

Kaya enjoyed a 1-0 upperhand for most of the highly charged match, thanks to a brilliant finish by OJ Porteria, who extricated past four defenders to slot it in at the 27th minute. 

But the Archers got a surprising boost at the first minute of stoppage time, when Kaya defender Junior Muñoz’s clearance hit Tating Pasilan’s back and incredibly went in, allowing GAU to draw level.

In the first game, Gonzalez eluded the Pachanga defenders in the left flank to score the game-winner, his second goal in the league action that put LMS alone at the top.

“I’m disappointed with the way we finished, but we’ll take the three points,” said Sparks’ coach Vincent Santos.