Global FC forward Misagh Bahadoran played a key role in his side’s second UFL Cup triumph when he scored a brace in the eventual 3-1 victory over Ceres-La Salle FC. The victory also means that Global FC have booked a ticket to the 2017 AFC Cup qualifying play-off round. Aside from his goals, Bahadoran feels the title is special, as it is his first with Global as the club’s captain.
“I’m so happy because of course, as a captain, I feel I lead the team in the right direction that’s why we got here to championship already and then our ticket going to AFC Cup already. We have a ticket already going to AFC Cup. I think I did my job as a captain inside the pitch, outside of the pitch and then everybody, like whole Global FC, was working so hard,” Bahadoran said after the game.
While Bahadoran’s versatility allows him to switch position-wise from midfielder to striker, there is no question about which role he feels more accustomed to. “Of course I’m so happy as a captain, I did my job as a striker. I did what I could and I’m so happy coach Leigh (Manson) and Mr. Dan Palami and even coach (Thomas) Dooley is happy with my performance. I think I did my job to win this game.”
Bahadoran feels that football is about how much players want to win and work hard. In the end, he believes that every Global player has done a good job. “I would like to say thank you to all Global supporters and all Football fans and all the staff, everybody behind this win and also I wanna give thanks to our coach, our team manager Mr. Dan Palami, and every single one who helped us to get this trophy”, he added.
It was a redemption story of sorts for Global, after they had been disqualified from the previous edition of the UFL Cup after they were adjudged to have fielded an ineligible player. Bahadoran admitted that the incident had served as motivation for Global to go all the way this year. He explained, “Maybe there was a problem with the paperwork or politics, whatever it was it hurt us a lot because as a team, as a football player we really wanted to do hard work in UFL, but they just put us out of the UFL Cup. We came back. We came stronger. We didn’t just cry and put our face down. We tried harder and as you see we won the next UFL Cup as a champions.”
The 2017 AFC Cup will be Global’s second foray into the competition. Global’s first run two years prior had ended prematurely when they were eliminated at the group stages. Bahadoran, though, is confident that Global will perform better this time around. “This is our second AFC Cup so we will have more experience (on) how to perform, how to prepare ourselves for the games. We’re so excited and I’m sure we will give a good result to the Philippines.” He then praised Kaya FC and Ceres for their current AFC Cup success this season. “We will try to do the same thing in the next AFC Cup”, he promised.
Winning a cup final is arguably football’s most priceless moment. To do so while having played a big role is something most players can only dream of. Bahadoran did just that and the game will be something he’ll never forget.
