UFL - Kaya keeps top spot; Air Force, Army post first wins

Aly Borromeo scored on a sweetly-struck volley in the first half and Kaya FC survived a hard-fighting Green Archers Orient Freight side for a narrow 1-0 victory Sunday in the first division of the United Football League at the Alabang Country Club.

Borromeo, fresh off his stint with the national team in the AFC Challenge Cup in Bacolod, delivered the marginal goal in the 16th minute as Kaya kept their perfect record two matches intothe season.

Reigning champion Air Force Rider also opened its campaign on a stylish note with a 4-nil drubbing of Loyola Agila, even as Army Fritz and Macziol subdued Navy, 2-1, in another first division clash at the University of Makati pitch.


National players Ian Araneta, Chieffy Caligdong and Yanti Barsales were all on target for the Airmen, who are gearing up for a keenly-awaited clash with Kaya on Sunday. Air Force edged Kaya for the league title last year.

Ricardo Becite, benefitting from the training with the Azkals in Bacolod, and another national team player, Nestorio Margarse, struck for Army, which moved up to second on four points from two matches.

Navy, which equalized earlier through Loreto Kalalang before they were pegged back by Margarse’s strike, stayed winless in three matches.

Green Archers remained with a lone draw to show, a point they earned against Army on opening day three weeks ago.

Nomads and Stallions sustained their devastating forms in the second division, cruising to one-sided wins to remain on top.

Nomads blanked Lions, 5-0, while Stallions, not to be outdone, whitewashed Dolphins, 7-0. Japan FC notched its second win in three matches by downing Sunken Garden, 5-2, while Pasargad, returning to the pitch after losing via forfeiture last weekend, scored a convincing 5-nil rout of Union Internacional Manila.Getting a pass from Azkals teammate Anton del Rosario, Borromeo deftly controlled the ball with a chest trap before firing into the back of the net in a goal closely similar to the one he scored in the 1-0 win over Timor Lester in the AFF Suzuki Cup three years ago.

Borromeo combined well with Yannick Tuason in the 27th minute, but Tuazon was unable to double the lead as his shot went wide. Borromeo was denied a second goal in the 63rd minute when his shot hit the bar and Kaya nearly paid for its complacency when Archers earned a late penalty.

If only for their two missed penalty kicks, the Archers were undeserving of getting points from the match.

Patrick Bocobo also wasted a chance to equalize three minutes before halftime when his weak effort went straight to Kaya goalkeeper Saba Sabeghi.

Just when everyone thought that Kaya was to cruise in injury time, they were nearly punished. But Chris Camcam gathered the first penalty in the 92nd minute. Another penalty miss in the 94th minute ensured Kaya’s victory and doomed Green Archers.

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The First Division matches scheduled on February 20, 2011 at the University of Makati are postponed due to unavailability of the pitch. The ff: matches are as follows:

•Green Archers Orient Freight vs Loyola ATR KimEng
•Global Smartmatic vs Army Fritz and Macziol
•Kaya FC vs Air Force Rider
We request the fans to standby for further notice.


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