UFL Loyola Meralco Sparks finally win first silverware by beating Pachanga in UFL Cup final

• From: Karlo Sacamos

LOYOLA Meralco finally captured an elusive United Football League silverware, but only after surviving a worthy challenge from Pachanga-Diliman, 3-2, in the UFL Cup finale on Thursday night at the Emperador Stadium in Mckinley Hill.

A powerhouse squad that has time and again come up short, the Sparks lived up to lofty expectations at last as they won their first title since being backed by the power distribution company in 2011.

"The monkey's off our backs," a relieved Sparks coach Vince Santos said. "It finally fell our way. We were unlucky the previous years."

The Sparks, who lost to underdog Air Force in their first finale stint three years ago, drew goals from James and Phil Younghusband and Chad Gould to negate the brace of Ariel Zerrudo.

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