ILOILO United-International Builders Corp. banked on a last-minute conversion to score a 3-2 win over Malaysia’s X Mail FC in an international friendly on Monday at the Iloilo Sports Complex.
Barotac Nuevo native Jessie Sazon drained the game-winning goal in the 90th minute with a right foot hit to break the 2-all deadlock and hand the victory to the Ilonggo team.
Iloilo United opened the scoring in the 24th minute with Robert Guillergan finding the back of the net. Eight minutes later, X Mail knotted the count with a conversion from Zulkarnian Abd Talib.
The Malaysians had an opportunity to snatch the lead but Ilonggo goalkeeper Remus Esposo swatted the penalty kick away. Iloilo United surged in the 60th minute with a Jun Jun Alegada inside shot.
But the lead of Iloilo United did not last long as Abd Talib connected on his second goal for a 2-all count. And then the home team made a last-minute shot from Sazon.
One of the organizers of the 40-and-up exhibition match, Pablito Araneta, said he hopes this is just the start of the many international matches Iloilo City will host.
“This was the first time that Iloilo City hosted an international football match since the Asian Women’s Cup and the President’s Cup were held here 20 years ago,” said Araneta, a former Philippine Football Federation secretary-general.
Moreover, “this international friendly allowed the Malaysians to see the good things happening here in Iloilo, especially on the economic side,” he added./PN
