 |
| Mark Cristino/UFL |
By Kevin Estrada
MANILA-- The road to redemption for Global this year began on a bright note as the club pummeled listless Pasargad, 7-0, to start its own quest in the UFL Cup on Saturday night at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
New signing Omid Nazari introduced himself to the Philippine football scene in the best way possible with his hat-trick on his debut.
Hikaru Minegishi added a brace to its score sheet, as well as a goal each for Dennis Villanueva and Izo Elhabib to push the club ahead in Group B on opening day.
It only took three minutes for the last season's league bridesmaid to stomp its class against its miserable victims with Elhabib benefiting from a Misagh Bahadoran pass to score the first goal.
Minegishi doubled the advantage twelve minutes later after a series of chances inside the box.
Nazari tripled the advantage in the 37th minute after he booted his debut goal from a cross, and then Minegishi completed his brace off a rebound to end the first half ahead, 4-0.
The second half was the same story for Global, but Nazari owned the half with his two goals that completed his hat trick in the 61st and 71st minute. Villanueva completed the rout eleven minutes from time.
It was a gratifying result for Leigh Manson's outfit, months after his team was expelled from last season's Cup on controversial circumstances.
Follow him on Twitter: @KevinLEstrada
.jpg)
