In an intense match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, United City FC (UCFC) triumphed over Tuloy FC with a thrilling 1-0 victory in the PFL’s Sunday opening fixture.
The match kicked off with Mark Hartmann of UCFC attempting a powerful rocket shot early on, setting the tone for United City’s aggressive offense. Tuloy’s John Loyd Jalique had an off-target attempt, but it was Cyrelle Saut whose on-target shot was saved by Henri Bandeken. Another attempt by Tuloy’s Syron Saut went off target.
UCFC’s Ziggy Taningco displayed his skill with some impressive flicks, delivering a precise cross to Ricky Sendra. However, Tuloy’s goalkeeper Antilo made a crucial save to deny Sendra’s header. Hartmann then took a direct free kick, but Antilo was once again up to the task, keeping the score level at halftime.
The second half saw an early attempt from UCFC’s Troy Limbo, but his shot was straight at Antilo. Cyrelle Saut continued to impress for Tuloy with a beautiful through ball to Jalique, but Bandeken’s quick reactions prevented the chance. Tuloy’s Jasten Lupangco received a yellow card for a foul on Michael Menzi, marking an intensity shift in the match.
Despite Antilo’s multiple saves, UCFC finally broke the deadlock as Ariel Ngueukam scored a header from a Mark Hartmann corner. Tuloy nearly equalized, but Lupangco missed the timing of his shot. Ricky Sendra aimed to double UCFC’s lead, but another exceptional save by Antilo stopped his finesse shot. The match ended with a yellow card for Darlton Digha, and the final whistle was blown after five minutes of stoppage time.
With this win, UCFC moved up to 5th place and will have a chance to climb further when they face 4th place Davao Aguilas next week. Meanwhile, Tuloy FC will face another tough opponent in the league’s 3rd place team, Stallion Laguna.
Chis Adea Yes, my name is Chis. Turning freshman this year. Elementary and Junior HS Valedictorian. Sports fan since 3 years old. Once dreamt of being a sports commentator. 1/5 of The Half Space. @chisballph on X and IG.
