Azkals — Maharlika: 2:0, PFL

Azkals beat Maharlika 2:0 in a PFL group stage match on Saturday. The result leaves the visitors seventh in the table with 29 points from 20 games.

The hosts broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute. A goal that shifted the momentum, though neither side had much to show for their early pressure.

And here's the thing — the second came late, in the 90th minute plus four. Maharlika had been pushing forward, looking for something, but the counter caught them flat-footed.

By then the statistics told their own story. Azkals managed 83 attacks against 98 for the visitors, yet won 4-1 in corners. Possession figures showed 0.4 to 0.6 in favour of Maharlika, but that's not always the measure of a game.

To be fair, Maharlika had looked solid enough in recent outings — a 1:0 win over Dynamic Herb Cebu and a 4:2 victory against Tula. But one evening isn't enough to build a season on.

The hosts had come off three defeats in a row before this, including a heavy 0:4 loss to Stallion. Things came to a head here, and they found an answer.