Football
UFL 2012 Preview: 12 burning questions
AKTV/Toto Gamboa
Which team will be the most difficult to score against?
Jamlang: It’s important to be organized and compact in defense, and you won’t find a club that embodies these qualities more than Air Force. Their experience playing with each other for years allows them to understand each other’s movements and ensures that when one player gets pushed out of position, another is ready to fill the gap. They conceded a total of 7 goals in 12 games in their title-winning campaign last season, and managed to shut out free scoring Loyola in the recent Cup final. Just don’t remind them of the 10-0 thumping they received from Internacional de Madrid – wavering confidence won’t do them any good.
Fenix: Philippine Air Force, bannered by the indefatigable Tats Mercado in goal, remain to be the team no opposing striker would want to face. With a back four comprising of reigning League Most Valuable Player Joebel Bermejo, Martin Doctora, Joel Ballo-Allo and Harold Bayona, they famously held the high-scoring Loyola Meralco Sparks scoreless in the UFL Cup final.
A ten-goal mauling in the hands of CF Madrid notwithstanding, the Airmen have mastered the art of parking a formidable tora-tora in goal. If other teams are to dethrone Air Force, they have to find creative ways to score against them.
