PACHANGA-Diliman picked up from where it left off in the United Football League Cup as it kicked off its League campaign with a 2-0 victory over Division 1 rookie Socceroo on Saturday at the Emperador Stadium in Mcknley Hill.
Riding high on its impressive runner-up finish in the Cup last month, Pachanga started its league play on a bright note with a shutout win over the reigning Division 2 champion.
Nate Burkey scored both goals for Pachanga, which gained the early lead in the nine-team standings with three points.
“Mataas yung morale ng players,” said Pachanga coach Noel Marcaida, whose team finished fifth in its maiden top-flight bid last year. “Made-determine namin kung hanggang saan kami sa league kung paano kami nag-perform sa first game.”
The high-altitude training in Benguet State University in La Trinidad, Baguio from January 3 to 6 prepared Pachanga in its opening-day matchup where it dominated possession and showed newly promoted Socceroo what Division 1 ball is all about.
“Malaking tulong siya,” Marcaida said.
Burkey, a Filipino-American striker and former Azkal, opened the scoring 33 minutes into the game when he caught a pass from the midfield before beating Socceroo goalkeeper Gui Hasegawa to slot home the goal.
Burkey doubled the lead in the 67th minute with a penalty conversion, a development after Hasegawa fouled Jay Eusebio inside the box.
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