MANILA (Interstat) — Stallion rode a two-goal burst inside the opening 12 minutes and answered each Philippine Army comeback attempt on the way to a 4-2 victory at Rizal Memorial Stadium on Sunday. The visiting side controlled the early stages, built a 2-0 halftime lead and held off the home team’s second-half push to secure its third win in the competition. Stallion improved to 3 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw in the competition, while Philippine Army dropped to 0 wins and 3 losses.

Zamoranho Ho A Tham led Stallion with two goals and was on the field for all 90 minutes. Ho A Tham opened the scoring in the sixth minute, then doubled the advantage in the 12th minute. Stallion added a third goal in the 56th minute before Philippine Army responded in the 60th. Stallion restored its three-goal cushion in the 66th minute, and Philippine Army closed the scoring in the 77th minute. The goals gave Stallion a 4-2 lead it protected over the closing stages.

The home side, Philippine Army, could not recover from the early deficit despite scoring twice after halftime. Stallion’s defense protected the lead over the final stretch as the visitors finished with four goals. The match at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila featured six goals overall and a second-half surge from Philippine Army that briefly narrowed the gap. Philippine Army’s goals in the 60th and 77th minutes kept the home side within reach, but Stallion answered with a goal in between.

The first two goals arrived in quick succession, forcing Philippine Army to play from behind almost from the start. Stallion’s third goal came 11 minutes after halftime, but Philippine Army responded four minutes later. After Stallion scored again in the 66th minute, Philippine Army found the net once more in the 77th minute. Stallion then managed the closing stages without conceding again, securing the road result. The home side pressed for another goal, but Stallion’s back line held firm and the visitors saw out the victory.

Stallion’s season record in this competition is now 3 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw. Philippine Army’s season record in this competition is now 0 wins and 3 losses. Stallion’s season record across all competitions is also 3 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw, while Philippine Army’s season record across all competitions is 0 wins and 3 losses. The result continued Stallion’s strong start to the season and left Philippine Army still seeking its first win.

Stallion entered the match after a 1-1 draw at Kaya, a 5-4 win at Tuloy, a 2-0 loss to Maharlika, a 3-0 loss to Manila Digger and a 4-0 win over Azkals. Philippine Army had previously fallen 5-0 at Maharlika and 5-0 at Kaya. Stallion is scheduled to face Philippine Army FC next, followed by matches against Mendiola, Davao Aguilas and Cebu FC. The visitors’ top performer was Zamoranho Ho A Tham, who finished with two goals.

Ho A Tham’s two first-half goals set the tone for Stallion, and the visitors’ third goal in the 56th minute gave them more room to work with. Philippine Army’s goal in the 60th minute cut into the lead, but Stallion answered six minutes later. Philippine Army scored again in the 77th minute, but Stallion maintained its advantage through the closing stages. The game was played at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila, where Stallion made the most of its early chances and withstood Philippine Army’s efforts after the break.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Stallion 5, Philippine Army 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Stallion with a 90.9 percent probability to win. Stallion had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -4.5. The total score of 6 went under the over/under line of 4.5.