PFL defending champs Kaya-Iloilo went to the top of the PFL table on Saturday, smashing twelve past a hapless Don Bosco Garelli in the biggest of three Saturday triple-header thrashings.
The men sporting new yellow and black kits hit the ground running, as new signing Kaishu Yamazaki got his first goal for the club from close range just 3 minutes in. Fellow new signing Shuto Komaki, making his first start for Kaya, took advantage of errant defending to make it 2-0 two minutes later. It would go from bad to worse for Garelli, as not even two minutes later did Jarvey Gayoso smashed the ball in at the near post after more poor defending. Yamazaki would make it a brace for himself after Garelli gave the ball away close to the goal.
Garelli, reeling from the four goals put past them, made two substitutes early on, including foreigner Solomon Obu. Kaya, however, went right back to business, as Jhan Melliza was pulled down in the box by Garelli captain Banjo Mahinay, subsequently converting the penalty. Kaya would get another penalty 10 minutes later as Obu tripped Komaki in the box. The winger would convert the penalty, making it an astounding six for Kaya at the half.
The second half was initially a very different affair. Garelli would come close to scoring on several occasions, but the final ball was lacking. Substitute forward Robert Lopez Mendy finally broke the deadlock in the 64th minute, heading home from Komaki’s looping cross. History would begin to repeat itself, as another cross – this time from full-back Fitch Arboleda – would find Gayoso to make it 8-0 just two minutes later. One minute later, Melliza would get his own brace as Gayoso nicked the ball off of Christian Zurbito and sent a cross to the Ilonggo forward.
Lopez Mendy joined the brace party as the clock ticked over into the 80th minute as he arrived at the end of another slick Kaya move. Gayoso would then score his third and fourth in quick succession, first sending a low free kick past keeper Antonnie Cabra then finishing off a sneaky ball by substitute Jovin Bedic in the dying minutes of the game.
The lopsided scoreline – the biggest so far this season – saw Kaya top the PFL table on goal difference, while Garelli, having lost 7-0 to title contenders Stallion the week previous, remain rooted to the foot of the table. Kaya next play Maharlika Taguig on April 21, with Garelli squaring off against Mendiola a day before on April 20.
