Pasargad (PSG) FC faltered in its quest in the Under 17 category of the UFL Youth League after ending its match against Nomads FC in a 1-all draw last Thursday at the Nomads’ home pitch in Paranaque.
The defeat allowed Kaya FC to take over the top spot in the category with 12 points while PSG FC dropped to second spot with 10 points.
Both PSG and Nomads failed to pierce each other’s defenses until the second half when Nomads FC drew first blood. Iani Miranda levelled the match for PSG FC with his contribution.
Kaya FC, meanwhile, collected its fourth straight win last Sunday with a 6-0 thrashing of the Philippine Army.
Despite playing with no substitutes, PSG FC managed to add one draw to its three wins.
With only 11 players left, PSG FC will have to work hard and win its remaining three elimination matches next week against Green Archers United FC, Team Socceroo FC and Kaya FC.
PSG FC once boasted of a lineup filled with the former members of the Little Azkals until they were called up by the Philippine Football Federation to man the Global FC Philippine U-15 for the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM)-Frenz U-15 ASEAN Champions Trophy 2013, which started last Saturday. The exodus of players left the team with a depleted lineup.
However, four of the former Little Azkals decided to stay with the team. They are Dumaguete’s Jose Anton Yared, Cebu’s Lawrence “Soysoy” Colina and San Carlos City’s Vergara brothers, Mason and Shanden.
The rest of the booters from Cebu are Ezra Decena, Iani Miranda, Pablo Luis Garcia and Inigo Ugarte except for Juancho Fernandez of Cagayan de Oro, Keith Plotena of Talisay Negros Occidental and import Younousse Yaogo of Ivory Coast.
Yared, the newly appointed team captain of PSG FC, said the departure of the others really affected their game.
The match against the Nomads was the first that the team had to play with no subtitutes.
“It was tiring. But it was somehow a motivation for us to play with 100 percent,” said Yared.
He said that they need to work on their stamina, play more as a team and build up their confidence for their three remaining games.