Division I mainstays Pachanga-Diliman FC made most of their chances and peppered lower flight team Agila MSA FC, 7-0, to remain undefeated in two matches in the 2015 United Football League (UFL) Cup, Tuesday, May 12, at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.
Pachanga-Diliman started well with their build-up play, while the opponent had better chances from the counter attack. At the fourth minute, Agila’s team captain Olayemi Bakare fired the first of his attempts of the match, which was saved by the away side’s goalkeeper Steve Yambou. In the following play, Pachanga left back Nathan Octavio had several passes into the attacking third, but the team’s forwards could not finish. After several offside calls, Pachanga’s skipper Hamed Hajimehdi shot from yards away and into the net, despite the opposing custodian Ernest Montserrat getting a touch at the ball; the UFL Division I squad leads, 1-0. Two minutes after, Hajimehdi had another shot at the goal, this time Montserrat made sure to deny it. The leading team continued with their ball distribution, and at a minute past the half-hour mark, Daniel Gadia sent a pass to Stephen Permanes, who eluded the diving Montserrat and slotted the ball to double the gap. The Division II side tried to stay in the game; nonetheless, their chances were foiled by the defense of the higher seeds. The half ended with Pachanga on the driver’s seat, 2-0.
The complexion of the second half changed significantly as Pachanga-Diliman tried to pressure their rivals. The Division I team made sure that they had control of the flanks and the middle with more direct passes, which disrupted the defense of Agila MSA. Just three minutes after the restart, Octavio connected to Hossein who headed the ball into the goal for their team’s third score. In the following play, the winning squad got the ball that led Hajimehdi to go one-on-one with the keeper Montserrat. Montserrat charged forward outside the box, who instead of blocking the shot or the striker, touched the ball. The referee sent off Montserrat for that infraction causing Agila MSA to have 10 men left on the field.
It was the turning point of the match, as the floodgates opened for Pachanga-Diliman after that expulsion. The winning team executed their offense and pummelled the visibly demoralized Agila MSA FC. Hajimehdi made the best of the resulting free kick off that hand ball call by guiding it into the onion bag to increase Pachanga’s lead to four. In the 62nd minute, Jinggoy Valmayor found Doustdarsefidmazgi on the run who shot the ball pass substitute keeper Kenneth James, 5-0. Three minutes after the goal, Hajimehdi registered his hattrick, when he found himself unmarked on the right wing and blasted the ball into the back of the net. On the other hand, the home team had a chance in the 72nd minute, when Bakare attempted from the left but the ball went across the face of the goal and out. Five minutes after, Division I team Pachanga toyed with the defense at the goal mouth. Left unmarked on the wings, Jayson Cutamora sent a cross into the box. The ball was sent back to him, he then connected to Ruben Silitonga for the final goal of the match, 7-0. Searching for a consolation goal, Bakare found himself another chance a few minutes after, only for it to go wide. As the final whistle sounded, Pachanga-Diliman ran away with another clinical victory and their clean sheet of the Cup.
Coach Francis Liza of Pachanga-Diliman FC was delighted that the team was able to work on their finishing. He then noted of how his wards played well both on the offensive and defensive ends of the pitch. “In attacking, [there is] more fluidity, more balls in the attacking third. In defending, for 90 minutes, there is no threat from the opponent. We had balance in the back,” the young coach said. Liza also emphasized that they took advantage of Agila’s loss of Montserrat.
Pachanga-Diliman FC will battle against fellow top flight team Team Socceroo FC on Sunday, May 17, while Agila MSA FC will try to get their first win against Fleet Marine FC, earlier that day.
