Global faces dangerous Pasargad, looks to win 8th straight; Air Force, Stallion collide

AKTV/Paul Mata

Global looks to extend its winning run to eight games against a dangerous Pasargad side Saturday in the United Football League at the University of Makati field.

Hoping to sustain its brilliance even with an undermanned side, Global can go five points clear with a victory in the 2 p.m. match that will be followed by the Stallion Giligan’s-Philippine Air Force Phoenix tussle. Both matches will be shown live on AKTV on IBC13.

Pasargad is fresh from posting the biggest upset of the season – a 4-3 shocking of Loyola Meralco – giving the newly-promoted side a confidence boost ahead of the clash against the pacesetter.

“The win against Loyola will hopefully give us the momentum in our remaining matches,” said Pasargad coach Joey Villarino.

Pasargad boasts of plenty of attacking options in Shayan Jafaredestjerdi – the hattrick hero against the Sparks – Milan Mehgandom and Mohamed Ohadi, who scored on a bicycle kick in his debut last Wednesday.

Global has shown it has more than enough firepower even without Misagh Bahadoran and brothers Angel and Luis Guirado in the 3-0 blanking of Army last week.

Bahadoran is expected to return to the side for the clash against his former team.

Carli de Murga has scored a goal in each of the last four matches, helping Global cope with the absence of its experienced attackers. De Murga capped off the 3-0 win with a close range strike just a week after sinking Navy with an injury time strike from distance.

A win by Pasargad, with 11 points on three victories, two draws and six losses, could put the side in the Top 5 for the first time this season.

Stallion seeks a second straight victory against an Air Force side whose hopes of retaining its title is slipping away after a run of heartbreaking results.

The match also provides an interesting subplot as it pits players born and raised in the football hotbed of Barotac Nuevo.

The likes of Stallion attackers Ruben Doctora and Vince Braga are among the younger generation of Barotac players now in the UFL, while Yanti Barsales and Ian Araneta are grizzled veterans who also learned the game in the laidback Iloilo town.

Stallion ended a four-match winless run with a 2-0 trouncing of Navy last Monday when Doctora and Jovanie Simpron found the back of the net.

Air Force lost to Kaya, 0-3, last weekend in a match where influential winger Chieffy Caligdong was substituted because of a hamstring injury. Caligdong remains doubtful for the clash.

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