GLOBAL FC gave Tanjong Pagar United everything it could handle before surrendering a 1-2 decision on Friday night that ended its inaugural Singapore Cup campaign at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
Caught on the back foot early on, the perennial United Football League contender mounted on a second-half comeback that unfortunately fell short as it barely missed a spot in the Finals and a chance at history for Philippine club football.
The Filipino-laden booters lost, 4-3, on aggregate as they held the fancied Jaguars to a fighting 2-2 draw in the first leg of the semifinals last Tuesday.
The result was nevertheless impressive for the club owned by Azkals team manager Dan Palami as it matched the finish of Loyola Meralco last year when the Sparks likewise almost made it to the championship round of the annual invitational competition featuring the top sides from Singapore and those of its neighboring countries.
Monsef Zerka proved to be the biggest thorn on the Filipino booters as he scored his team’s both goals, the first a header just three minutes into the game when he caught Global napping on defense, before doubling the lead 13 minutes after intermission.
Zerka, though, was also the one who provided Global a glimmer of hope when he scored an own goal in the 71st minute.
Global, left to carry the Philippine banner after Loyola was eliminated in the quarterfinals, had a handful of chances to equalize, but just could not find the back of the net.
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