Global FC is just a few games away from bagging a rare United Football League (UFL) double after winning 12 of their last 13 games.
The Dan Palami-backed Global FC became known as one of the country’s best football clubs when they won their first double in 2012.
“For us, we just got to keep that gap between us and the other pack. If we can do that, the rest of the pack can fight for second. That’s quite a nice thing to be standing at,” said newly reassigned team manager Leigh Manson, who started mentoring the club in 2014.
Being unbeaten in 12 games for 37 points, Global FC needs to go through six more games before the end of the tournament. Global FC elicited a 3-3 draw from defending UFL champs Ceres in their last first round game on July 17.
Global FC started the year with a notable run in the season-opening UFL Cup, which saw the team escaping Ceres La Salle FC in the finals, 3-1.
The triumph ensured Global to become one of the two clubs that would represent the Philippines in international competitions next year.
Manson explained that their 3-2 victory against rival Kaya FC improved their chances of winning.
“We are still on top of the table. We have a little bit of a gap against the other teams and we’ve done a double against Kaya. That’s not a bad thing,” he said.
However, he stressed that they will be taking their remaining games one step at a time,
“We’ve got two really big games that will go a long way to deciding who wins the title,” Manson said.
With Ceres limping into the second round, Manson said that the pressure is now on the other teams to secure a slot as the Philippines’ representative to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) meets.
“With Ceres on its dipping form, what it has done is remotivate Loyola and Kaya because now they can see the possibility of again qualifying for the AFC Cup. I guess the games between the second to fourth teams in the standings will actually be more difficult,” he said.
The UFL is currently on a three-week break to give way to the scheduled international friendly games of the Philippine Azkals.