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| KC Cruz/UFL |
By Kevin Estrada
MANILA--Green Archers United have to survive a late fightback from Pasargad in the final ten minutes to register their first win of the season, 2-1, as league action continued on a hot Mother's Day afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Stadium
New signing Chima Uzoka and veteran forward Jhan-jhan Melliza struck in both halves to register their first three points for Rodoldo Alicante after absorbing a shock draw against Forza last week, as the Archers dominated for the entire match, having more possessions, more shorts and more corners.
Pasargad's new acquisition Joseph Fermin pulled one back for the coach-less club, but could not avoid to lose for the second time in a row to start their league campaign on a wrong note.
On a scorching day that reached oven-like temperatures, GAU dominated proceedings right from the start with Lee Joo-Young almost gave them the opener in the 26th minute, but his free kick from the edge of the box was denied by the right post.
However, the Archers' persistence paid off twenty minutes later, with the NU Bulldog calmy fired home with his left foot from outside the box that went past Albert Llevares.
The veteran Melliza then doubled their advantage seventeen minutes into the restart, breaking free from the listless Pasargad backline and calmly finished his low strike from close range.
Fermin made the match interesting as he poked in a close range to halve the deficit with ten minutes left, but Pasargad could not find an equalizer for their first point of the season, but will be bringing positives as they improved from their dismal debut when they let in six against current leaders JP Voltes.
Alicante lamented the missed chances althroughout the match and also citing the heat brought by the 2 p.m. kick-off as the reason for their performance.
"Malaking adjustment, yung laro namin alas-dos pero ang training namin eh gabi.", the former FEU boss said, adding that the heat of artificial grass was also a factor in their match, noting that it was not that hot when they play in natural grass in that same time frame.
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