TWO United Football League heavyweights press their championship bids as they take on separate opponents on Thursday night as the title race heads into the crucial stages at the Emperador Stadium in Taguig.
Stallion-Sta. Lucia and Global, who have emerged as the main title contenders as Loyola Meralco continues to flounder, face Pachanga-Diliman and Philippine Air Force, respectively.
The front-running Stallions tackle last year’s Division 2 champions Pachanga at 5:15 p.m. before Global, the defending champion, squares off with the Airmen at 7:30 p.m.
With four games remaining and a five-point lead over Global which has a game in hand, Stallion has a chance to score back-to-back titles if the reigning UFL Cup champions sustain their form, starting against fifth-ranked Pachanga.
Global remains in the hunt and a win against the ninth-running Airmen will move them closer to the league leader. Loyola, meanwhile, has virtually bowed out following two disappointing showings.
“Now we’re starting to talk about our title chances,” Stallions coach Ernie Nierras said after his team’s 6-0 victory over the Airmen last week. “If we win our next two games, the worst that can happen to us is second place.
“But we don’t want that. We want to win it all,” added Nierras, who, however, will be absent as he joins the Philippine women’s team in Bangladesh for the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup Qualifiers.
The Stallions, though, welcome the return of Spanish star Rufo Sanchez from suspension.
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