GLOBAL Cebu stayed alive in the 2018 AFC Cup in the most dramatic fashion as it escaped with a 2-1 win over group leader Yangon United in a pulsating encounter on Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Rufo Sanchez won a penalty in the 94th minute and converted off the spot moments later in the last play of the night to end the hosts’ winless run in the competition.
With the match relatively uneventful, Darryl Roberts scored the breakthrough goal for the Cebuano side as he rose above the Burmese defenders to reach Dom Del Rosario’s free kick and head home the goal in the 79th minute.
Cheers nearly turned into heartbreak as Kyi Lin found the Global backline napping before sending a cross to Maung Maung Lwin, whose header in the 90th minute tied the game.
Thankfully for Global, Sanchez was there to the rescue to salvage the three points.
Left with space on the left flank, the Spaniard striker worked his way past Kekere Moukailou and got rewarded as the Yangon defender pulled him down to win the penalty.
He calmly slipped the ball past Kyaw Zin Htet to get the thrilling victory for the hosts.
With the victory, Global moved to four points and remained mathematically in the hunt to go through the knockout phase assuming it wins its next two games and Yangon loses its next two.
The Burmese side remained top of Group G with nine points while Bali United and FLC Thanh Hoa, which earlier fought to a scoreless draw, follow with five and four points, respectively.
The top team of each group will advance to the next phase with the best second placer in the ASEAN Zone also getting a spot in the knockout stages.
Global will once again play at home when it hosts Vietnamese side FLC Thanh Hoa on April 11.