By Ivan Saldajeno
MANILA--As the countdown to the rainy season officially began on Saturday, Green Archers and Pachanga put up a storm of their own at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
The Archers, however, delivered the stronger surge.
Green Archers rolled past Pachanga, 9-5, as the second round of the UFL season officially kicked off.
Robert Mendy scored four goals, while Jhan-Jhan Melliza completed a brace to lead the Archers' charge against Pachanga, who also had two players with two goals each.
Hossein Doustdarsefidmazgi opened the scoring for Pachanga two minutes into the match, but Jimuel Ariola equalized in the 15th minute.
Green Archers threatened to pull away as Mendy completed his hat trick in a six-minute span between the 21st and the 27th minutes.
Jinggoy Valmayor kept Pachanga in the match as he tallied a 36th minute to cut the lead to two, 4-2.
Melliza ended the first half with his own made shot to strengthen Green Archers' hold of the lead, 5-2.
Hamed Mahdi started the second half with Pachanga's third goal three minutes in, while Valmayor made things more interesting with another goal at the 58th minute as the club came to within one, 4-5.
Mendy completed his four-goal performance with a 62nd minute attack, but Mahdi answered back five minutes later and Pachanga was again within one, 5-6.
Robert Cañedo started a three-goal blow by Green Archers in the end with a 72nd minute strike, while Melliza scored his second goal in the 81st minute even as Tating Pasilan scored one more before the final whistle.
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