GLOBAL FC bucked the absence of its coach and unfamiliarity with the Emperador Stadium to score a 2-1 victory over Nomads FC in the United Football League on Thursday of Valentines night.
In their first game at the league’s new home inside Mckinley Hill, Taguig, the defending champions leaned on an early goal from Izzo El-Habbib and an own goal from Nomads to gain the victory and early winner Stallion, and Loyola Meralco on top with six points.
Team owner Dan Palami temporarily took over at the helm after Scottish coach Brian Reid had to go back to United Kingdom for a week and attend to a personal matter.
Although he rued his club’s missed chances, the Tacloban-born entrepreneur who also manages the Philippine men’s football team, still commended his players despite showing just “seventy percent” of their true form.
“We had several chances at the mouth of the goal but couldn’t convert them,” Palami said. “Credit goes to the Nomads goalkeeper who saved a few otherwise sure goals.
“But I feel the team played well,” he added. “We should take more chances from the outside because with this kind of pitch, it’s kind of difficult to look for that perfect goal.”
Global recorded the fastest goal so far this season as the Sudanese El-Habbib found the back of net after striking from outside the box just five minutes into the game.
But Nomads equalized after former Global booter Fidelis Nnabuife slotted home a goal right before halftime.
“I know they are always a threat with their heft, but we shouldn’t have given that away,” Palami said. “Nobody took the initiative to take the second ball after the clearance that’s why they were given time to make that shot.”
Nnabuife’s goal, though, went for naught as Nomads gifted Global with an own goal courtesy of defender Bafio Magassa nine minutes into the second half.
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