Photo from Kaya Futbol Club
It’s a clean sweep in the Copa Paulino Alcantara Group A as reigning PFL champs Kaya-Iloilo put reigning UAAP champs Far Eastern University to the sword in a fiery afternoon clash at the Rizal Memorial Stadium that saw six goals and a red card.
The final match of the group stage took place in the same venue that saw Jarvey Gayoso score a historic first-ever goal at home in the AFC Champions League for a PFL club, but the Kaya and Azkals forward saw himself on the bench. Kaya, however, had no problem on the attacking front, as Mar Diano opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a header that caught keeper Jetrick Fabrigas off his line. Kaya skipper Jovin Bedic would make it two after capitalizing on Mckevitt Bacon’s defensive error, with FEU alum Jesus Melliza letting fly from long range to make it three after only 13 minutes of play. FEU was coming off a 5th-place finish in the Asian University Football Tournament and refused to back down, and a through ball for Selwyn Mamon saw the forward caught by Kaya keeper Kenry Balobo, which resulted in a sending-off. Gaining in confidence but missing the crucial final ball, FEU finally broke Kaya’s clean sheet at the end of the first half after a Marc Alipoon effort rebounded to Mamon, who blasted it past sub keeper Henri Bandeken.
With FEU’s attacking problems persisting and Kaya down to 10 men, the second half was a frustrating affair for both sides with neither able to break the deadlock, the closest chance being a shot that Pabrigas nearly spilled into his own net. Kaya, however, would sub on the Senegalese attacking duo of Robert Lopez Mendy and Abou Sy, with the former’s slick turn and through ball finding the former Stallion striker, who would slot the ball past Pabrigas to make it four in the 73rd minute. Sy would miss two chances in quick succession, but finally found the back of the net again in the 77th after another Mendy effort bounced off the post. Mendy himself almost found himself on the scoresheet, but his near-post effort was denied by Pabrigas.
The result saw Kaya complete a clean sweep of Group A, scoring 40 and only conceding 2, ahead of CF Manila in second. The group stage’s conclusion confirmed the opponents of all the quarter-finalists, with the men from Iloilo facing another UAAP team, the UP Fighting Maroons, on Friday. CF Manila will face off against a Davao Aguilas team with 3 wins in 5 games, while two of the matches are all-PFL affairs, with Stallion Laguna playing Maharlika Manila and Dynamic Herb Cebu facing off against Mendiola FC 1991. Kaya also travel to South Korea on October 3, where they face a tough assignment against K-League outfit Incheon United.
LINEUPS:
FEU – Fabrigas, Mamon, Rey (Neniel 82’), Estores (Buenafe 82’), Bacon, Pescadera (Bulawin 68’), Absalon (Dadivas 68’), Basindanan (Valenzuela 62’), Amita (Yu 81’), Mustapa, Alipoon
Kaya – Balobo, Tacusalme, Swainston, Bedic (Sy 46’), Angeles, Giganto (Lopez Mendy 62’), Amita, Diano (Bandeken 20’), Melliza, Rota, Menzi (Romero 83’)
