Win or go home Tuesday at the UFL

Win or go home Tuesday at the UFL

The third to the last play date of the 2012 UFL Cup group stages will be played tonight at the University of Makati. And the day’s doubleheader will have much bearing on who moves on and who plays who in the next round where it’s win or go home time.

Pasargad vs. General Trias 7pm

Why wait for the Round of 16? This one is a virtual knockout match. The Korean-flavored General Trias has continued to surprise many with their performances since the cup qualifiers. They currently tote a 2-1-0 record that is good for seven points and second place behind Group A topnotcher, Global that has already advanced to the next stage. Pasargad owns a 2-0-1 record that is good for six points. Their only loss was on opening day against Global when the team still was not in sync with all their new signings. They have since kicked it up a notch higher but this will be their supreme test. They will have a full lineup when midfielder/forward Shayan Jafari returns to action after missing all their previous matches. Shayan along with Masood Shahdideh led Pasargad in last year’s league competition where the former Iranian first division players completed an amazing turnaround from whipping boy to the one doing the whipping.

One added thing… General Trias has yet to concede a goal in the group stages. They are the last team remaining to concede one.

Stallion vs. Air Force 9pm

During another time, the players of Stallion would have been the new generation of Air Force players. The roots of the club are firmly Iloilo and while Air Force and the other military teams have long been the destination of many a southerner, the rise of the club football scene has provided an alternative option to keeping one’s football dreams alive.

The Iloilo roots notwithstanding, this one is a derby. Expect no quarter between the two as at stake is the top of Group D (although Air Force still has a match at hand).

Stallion has a 2-0-1 slate with their only loss coming at the hands of Army that has recently drawn its last two matches. Air Force on the other hand has a 1-1-0 record. If they win their last two matches, they will top their group with 10 points.

A loss by Air Force will be disastrous as it will knock them out of the tournament since Army already has accrued 8 points in all its matches.

This proud defending cup champion has reeled in the wake of the rise of club football and they would love nothing more than to show they are still the top dogs of the UFL.