JASON Joker Arroyo claimed his moment of fame on Saturday night, scoring the solitary goal that mattered in Nomads’ 1-0 victory over Pachanga-Diliman in the United Football League at the Emperador Stadium.
The pint-sized Arroyo, unrelated to the Philippine senator, stood tallest on the pitch as he scored his first goal in the League since he moved to his parents’ country seven months ago from London, where he was born and raised.
“I was thinking today, I need to get some goals and it happened,” the 22-year-old left winger said. “When I’m on the left, I know I’m going to cut in and the ball just set out for me. I’m just happy I got a good connection to it.”
Nomads, which moved to solo fourth place with seven points in four matches, conjured numerous chances in the early goings, including a spectacular James Woldring bicycle kick shot that hit the left post.
But the European-flavored squad was only rewarded midway through the first half with Arroyo’s goal, before surviving a more spirited challenge from Pachanga in the second half.
“The first thirty-five minutes, we were very good, then of course we tired,” Nomads’ Scottish coach Jeff Jofre said of his part-time players who only train twice a week. “The second half was just heart, effort, and determination.”
Ousseynou Diop, who scored in Pachanga’s previous win, had the chance to replicate his exploits but was called for an indirect free kick violation after his successful attempt that could’ve knotted the count in the first half.
Pachanga fell to an even 2-2 win-loss card with six points.
Earlier, Agila hammered Cimarron, 3-1, to tie Socceroo on top of Division 2 with nine points.
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