Global FC Team Captain Misagh Bahadoran reckons that sticking to their attack-minded approach saved them from losing last Sunday’s heavyweight clash against Ceres-La Salle FC.
The People’s Club faced the prospect of losing against the favorites to succeed them in winning the league. However, Global manifested the determination to fight back like the champions that they are. OJ Clarino and Bahadoran supplied the goals in the final 30 minutes of play. Their vital strikes cancelled out efforts by Bienvenido Marañon and Manny Ott that drove Ceres-La Salle ahead in the first half. According to the skipper, the club went out of their routine, which virtually crippled them up front. “In the first half, we were trying to pull down and play defensively,” the Philippine international commented. As a result, the Azkal expressed discontent with the lack of chances created as his team traded attacking mobility for a seemingly ineffective focus on defense.
Left with no other option after the break, Global pursued forward deeper in order to escape defeat. Their perseverance alongside some changes made by Global gaffer Leigh Manson eventually led to a couple of big goals, one of which came from Bahadoran. The 28-year old forward hailed long-time teammate Izzo El-Habbib who in his opinion was the catalyst in the second half. “Izzo is one of the best strikers. He helped me. He supplied me with good passes and he disturbed defenders very well,” the man with the armband assessed.
With Izzo introduced halfway through the match, Bahadoran believed the team went back to the usual attacking barrage they have been known to produce game in, and game out. And so, it led to them matching the level of intensity Ceres-La Salle showed on the attacking third in the first half. “Global is a team that push forward and always attack. First half, I think we tried a different strategy but I think it didn’t work,” Bahadoran elaborated.
There were also concerns regarding the absence of key players Mark Hartmann and Daisuke Sato due to suspected injury and suspension respectively. Bahadoran acknowledged their importance but refused to offer it as an excuse. “Of course Mark Hartmann and Daisuke Sato have very big roles in the team but we have so many players who can do their jobs,” as the captain pointed out the valuable contributions of both El-Habbib and Ray Jonsson.
Seven points adrift of Ceres-La Salle, Bahadoran’s team is perhaps targeting a respectable second place finish. Right now, only two points separate the second and sixth placed teams. Global, currently in fourth place, is in the middle of that logjam. They will look to bolster their claim tomorrow against cellar-dwellers Team Socceroo FC.
