MANILA – United City Football Club returned from a lengthy absence with a 4-2 victory over Stallion-Laguna Football Club in the 2022 Philippines Football League at the Binan Football Stadium.
Kenshiro Daniels, Amirbek Juraboev, Ricardo Sendra, and Mark Hartmann scored a goal each as the reigning PFL champions made its return from two weeks absence due to health and safety protocols on a winning note.
United City was aggressive early with Daniels opening the scoring with a header past the defense of Stallion-Laguna’s Michael Asong in the 11th minute off a header from a corner kick.
Juraboev doubled the lead for United City FC with a close range shot at the 51st minute before Sendra and Hartmann scored back-to-back in the 64th and 72nd minute for a 4-0 count.
Stallion-Laguna finally slotted one at the 81st minute with Toto Bedia connecting from a cross by Abou Sy before being followed by an own goal by United City to cut the deficit to 2-4.
“The two-week break is really a big help for us as a team,” said United City FC head coach Frank Muescan. “It really helped us to think and make a program so that we can improve more.”
“As we go on with the program and in our training, we can see the chemistry already building up, and we’re already on that level of understanding, communication, and also the relationship of the players,” he added.
With the victory, United City FC is now at second place in the standings with 10 points after four matches with three wins and one draw, while Stallion-Laguna fell to fourth place with six points on two wins and three losses.
Over at the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite, Dynamic Herb-Cebu cruised to a 5-1 win over Maharlika Manila Football Club. Cebu now has eight points on two wins, two draws and a loss while Maharlika has yet to win in six games.
After Maharlika took a 1-0 lead via a second minute goal by Gerald Facturanan, Dynamic Herb went on a 5-0 blast—two from Chima Uzoka and one each from Arda Cinkir, Mert Altinoz and Marius Kore—to turn things around./PN
