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Stallion clinches UFL League crown with Kaya’s win over Global

Recaps of Thursday's Division One matches in Emperador Stadium.

Kaya 3, Global 2.

They didn't kick a single ball, make a single pass, or execute a single tackle. But on Thursday night the handful of Stallion Sta. Lucia players who took in the Kaya-Global match in the Empy were the big winners.

As soon as the whistle blew on Kaya's come-from-behind 3-2 victory, Rufo Sanchez, Hector Zaghi, Kim Hyo Il, Joaco Cañas, Jeremy Hohn, Diego Barrera, Park Bo Bae, Lee Joo Young, Guilherme Hasegawa, Jessy Martindale and Kim Won Hyung got the party started in the grandstand, with high-fives, hugs, and Football supporters' chants.

“Ecstasy” said Cañas, when asked what he felt at that moment. “We suffered on Tuesday and suffered some more today, but it was all worth it.”

Stallion Sta. Lucia finished the league on 46 points after last Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Loyola. A win that night would have given them the trophy outright, but the tie gave Global a chance to win the title on goal difference.

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Global needed a win against Kaya and a victory against Army next week plus plenty of goals to defend their crown.

But on Thursday they fell short, losing for the second time this season to Kaya by a 3-2 scoreline after taking a 2-0 lead. That means even with a win against Army, Global can only get to 43 points, short of Stallion's target.

Global has seen a promising title defense crumble with a loss to Loyola last week and a meltdown to Kaya that almost defies belief.

Global's Izo Elhabbib got on the scoreboard first in the ninth minute, grabbing the ball off a fumble from Kaya goalie Saba Sadeghi Garmaroudi. Instead of shooting immediately the Sudanese jinked, juked and danced with the ball, found an opening, and slotted home for 1-0.

Seven minutes before the half Elhabbib got his double, heading past Garmaroudi off a corner kick. Leading 2-0, Global must have felt their title retention bid was right on track.

But it all unraveled soon after.

Just two minutes later Kaya's Eric Dagroh was felled in the penalty box, prompting referee Michael Barajas to award Kaya a penalty.

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Chris Greatwich flubbed the kick, slamming it on to the right upright. But it ricocheted right back at him and he followed it into the goal for 2-1.

Meanwhile Global Brian Reid's complaints at the penalty call were deemed too unsavory by the officials and he was thrown out of the game.

Eight minutes into the second half Kaya brought in OJ Porteria. The Azkal, who lives in Taft avenue, got stuck in the flooding there and only arrived minutes before the opening whistle, hence the non-start.

Three minutes later Junior Munoz headed past Global keeper Roland Dely Sadia, connecting brilliantly on Logan McDaniel's cross from the left side to make it 2-2.

Fourteen minutes later Jason De Jong of Global was presented with his second yellow card, reducing the defending champs to just ten men.

Global relieved Marvin Angeles in favor of Nino Ochotorena in a bid to retake the lead, since a draw would not be of any help in the title chase. But instead it was Kaya who threatened with near misses by Porteria and Toshiya Hosoe.

But in the 80th minute Global's fate was cruelly sealed when a stretched defense allowed Kaya's Masanari Omura to fire on goal on a breakaway. The Japanese veteran's shot bounced off Sadia and straight into the boot of Carlie De Murga, from where it crashed into the net for an own goal. 3-2 Kaya. Astonishingly, the script of their first round meeting had been replicated almost to the letter.

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Minutes later Barajas blew his whistle and as Global's players sank to their knees in despair, the Stallions whooped it up, knowing they now held both UFL Cup and League trophies at the same time, matching the feat of Philippine Air Force, who accomplished it in 2011.

Stallion defeated Global 2-1 in the final of the UFL Cup last December.

Global was missing Angge Tresor Guisso and Patrick Delon Yao in the defense thanks to suspensions, while midfielder Ben Starosta was out injured.

The second-place finish must be doubly galling for Global since they swept the season series against Stallion, dealing them their only two losses of the campaign.

OTHER NOTES: Astonishing fact: Global has allowed only twelve goals all season long, best in the league. Incredibly, half of them have been to Kaya.... According to the UFL's Ritchie Gannaban, a trophy presentation for Stallion will be made at a later date.... There are still three matches left to be played on the schedule, all involving Army. The military squad plays Pasargad, Pachanga, and Global.... There was some of nastiness between the Global Force, Global's supporters, and Ultras Kaya. UK could be seen running with their yellow-and-black flags right in front of the Global supporters after every goal. Global fans reported that one young fan was knocked down by an Ultra, prompting a parent to confront the Ultras. Several reports said that Ultras also splashed yellow-and-black confetti on the Global fans. Supposedly at least one Ultra apologized for the behavior. The two sets of fans have a long history of animosity. TPF attempted to get a response from UK via Twitter but none was forthcoming as of press time. According to one source who spoke to the UKs, the nudge that felled the young Global fan was not intentional but it was reported to security as a punch ... Global's Patrick Reichelt and Garmaroudi got into a verbal tussle and shoving match after the game and had to be restrained.... It was reported that Global boss Dan Palami was not thrilled with the officiating.

Pasargad 6, Philippine Air Force 0

With yet another heavy defeat in their final league match of 2013, the Airmen have finally been relegated to the second division.

PAF amassed only six points in the league campaign off second-round wins over Nomads and Philippine Army. That's one less than Army, who have three games in hand.

Army is now assured of squaring off against the Div 2 runner-up, either Union or Agila, in a two-game aggregate-goals series, with the winner playing in the top flight in 2014.

At times the Airmen have played their opponents tough this season. But this just wasn't one of those days, as the defense struggled and the midfield were once again bereft of ideas.

Pasargad picked up two goals from Kalilou Toure, a pair from Promise Jolomi, and late strikes from Michael Nelson and Hamid Hajimedhi. Pasargad finishes seventh in the table with eighteen points.

At halftime captain Ian Araneta had to be yanked off because of a troublesome hamstring.

Air Force started Amay Sobrevega in goal because regular starter Ken Dolloso went under the knife to repair a fractured cheekbone. Sobrevega has himself been playing through the pain of an injured knee all season long. In the 70th he was replaced by Gue David, the team's only civilian player.

2014 will likely by the very first time that PAF has not played in the top flight of Football in the country.

Follow Bob on Twitter @bhobg333.