A Pasargad FC side that was without a natural goalkeeper turned back Pachanga-PLDT Home Fibr, 2-1, to barge into the win column of the United Football League on Saturday night at the Emperador Stadium in Mckinley Hill.
Despite missing its 17-year-old Filipino-American ‘keeper Russell Pierson, whose whereabouts have been unknown the last three days, the cellar-dwelling side finally displayed the break the duck after seven matches.
“We gave all out, our one-hundred percent,” rookie Pasargad coach Ayi Nii Aryee said. “This victory has really elevated our confidence.”
The win hiked the squad’s point total to four points, although it stayed at the bottom of the nine-team standings.
Pasargad also added to the misery of Pachanga, which suffered a fourth straight loss to get stuck in seventh spot with six points.
Living up to his role as captain, Charles Ujam volunteered to start in place of Pierson and rejected a handful of key attempts.
“We just gave him the trust,” Ayi said of the African skipper, who had no goalkeeping experience whatsoever before the game.
In a battle between two slumping squads, Pachanga was the first to get rewarded, opening the scoring 20 minutes into the game courtesy of Belinga Blanchard.
After Nate Burkey, who was recently called up to the Azkals’ training squad, equalized in the 42nd, Pasargad caught Pachanga napping on defense a minute later when Hamed Fateh scored the winner.
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