Hartmann boosts Global FC past Team Socceroo

MANILA, Philippines - Mark Hartmann went on a four-goal binge as he powered Global FC to a 9-0 demolition of a listless Team Socceroo side to move closer to pacesetting Loyola Meralco Sparks in the First Division of the United Football League at the Emperador Stadium Thursday night.

Hartmann, a member of the Phl Azkals team, came away with a pair of rockets in a six-minute stretch from the third then completed his spectacular performance by scoring two more goals on the 47th and 60th for a league-best 18 goals in 13 matches.

Other scores for the Global side were Izzo El Habbib, Jason de Jong, Napoleon Bustillo and Milad Behgandom while the other came from an own-goal by Socceroo’s Stanley Ankrah.

It was the second straight match that Global scored at least nine goals after drubbing a hapless Army-General Trias International, 9-1, last March 13.

The lopsided victory also hiked Global’s total to 31 points, just a point behind league-leading Loyola with 32.

Kaya FC leaned on Kenshiro Daniels and Janrick Soriano to turn back Army-GTI, 2-0, and regain solo third place with 24 points, three points better than reigning league champion Stallion Gilligan’s with 21.

Army had a chance to get back into the thick of things after Nestorio Margarse Jr. sent the ball straight to the back of the net but was later called for offside.