Palmes late heroics seal Airmen upset over Sparks

MANILA, Philippines - Air Force Phoenix played the spoiler’s role to the hilt as it stunned heavily favored Loyola Meralco Sparks, 2-1, in First Division action of the United Football League at the Rizal Memorial Stadium recently.

Raymark Palmes delivered the game-winning goal in the closing seconds of injury time to pull off the stunning reversal that moved the Airmen from seventh place to sixth and near the upper half of the standings. Air Force improved to 19 points on five wins and a four draws against six losses.

Yanti Barsales struck with the first goal on the 35th minute to give Air Force, last year’s League and Cup champion, the lead at halftime before Korean Jeong Byeong Yeol knotted it with a 48th minute rocket.

Palmes then came in for Peter Jaugan late in the match for the marginal goal that foiled the Sparks’ bid to join Global FC in the lead.

Instead, Loyola remained at No. 3 with 35 points on an 11-2-3 (win-draw-loss) record behind Kaya FC’s 36 points on an 11-3-2 slate and Global FC’s 38 points on a 12-2-2 card.

The team with most points will win the crown with Global FC, Kaya FC and Loyola Meralco Sparks FC gearing up for a down-to-the-wire battle with two matches remaining in their respective plates.

Kaya FC, bankrolled by LBC Hari ng Padala, seek to regain the solo lead as it clashes with Pasargad FC at 7 tonight, also at the Rizal pitch.

Air Force also came back from 1-3 down with a pair of goals in injury time to salvage a draw in their first encounter last March 31 at the University of the Makati field in Makati City.

Air Force’s gritty defense slowed down Loyola’s top three scorers – Phil and James Younghusband and fellow Brit Mark Hartmann. 

Phil, who unleashed a five-goal barrage in a 10-1 win over Navy Red Juice less than a week ago, leads the league in goals scored with 23 while James and Hartmann follow suit with 11 apiece.