GLOBAL Football Club found Hong Kong’s South China Athletic Association a tough nut to crack even at home at the Rizal Memorial pitch and absorbed a 1-6 thrashing in their opening match in the Asian Football Confederation Cup on Wednesday night.
The five-goal loss dropped Global to the bottom early in the competition, behind fellow opening-day loser Yadanarbon, which took a 2-3 decision to Pahang.
Finishing with respective braces at the end of the night were forwards Daniel McBreen and Mahama Awal against the reigning United Football League (UFL) champions.
McBreen, elected the man of the match, set the tone early off a costly goalkeeping error by Patrick Deyto in the second minute.
The former De La Salle keeper inadvertedly threw the ball to the awaiting McBreen for the opening score from just outside the box.
The Australian striker completed his brace and doubled South China’s lead in the 27th minute with a right boot just inside the box.
Lo Kong Wai made it 3-nil with a simple tap-in past the outstretched Deyto six minutes before the break. Despite the game already out of reach for the home side, South China continued its assault with captain Chan Wai Ho scoring off a free kick in the 50th minute and Awal inserting a pair of 5-yard shots in the 66th and 75th minutes to complete the rout.