Two-year curse over as Sparks finally win over Airmen
MANILA, Philippines – The Loyola Meralco Sparks finally broke a two-year curse when they blanked rival Phil. Air Force, 4-0, on a rainy Thursday night in the United Football League at the Emperador Stadium in McKinley Hill, Taguig.
The Sparks banked on Mark Hartmann's phenomenal play to nail their first win over the Airmen in two years and grabbed the provisional lead on goal difference.
Hartmann opened the match with perhaps, the fastest goal in the UFL history. The Fil-British midfielder slotted home a Freddy Gonzales pass right in the opening minute of the match to give the Sparks the momentum they needed.
Phil. Air Force, which is just a shell of the old team that won the UFL Cup in 2011 at the expense of the Sparks, tried to stay in the match in the first half and kept it a manageable one-goal deficit.
But the Sparks rained the Airmen with three goals in the second half, two of which with Hartmann’s signature written all over them.
It Hartmann's turn to give the love back to Gonzales in the 77th minute when he assisted the former Pachanga skipper and last season second division scoring leader to triple the Sparks’ lead. Earlier in the second half, Phil Younghusband scored his first goal of the season.
Still reeling from the loss of key players Chieffy Caligdong, Yanti Barsales, Tats Mercado and Herbert Bayona for various reasons, the Airmen were kept grounded in the second half.
Hartmann completed his splendid play with another goal in the injury time clinching the Sparks’ third straight win in as many starts to tie Global and Stallion-Sta. Lucia on top of the table but ahead on goal difference.
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