King Eagle? Check. Kaya FC legend? Check.
After a golden boot campaign in what could be his final season with the Mighty Lions, Jarvey Gayoso scored the lone goal for Kaya FC in the title-deciding battle against Davao Aguilas. It was more than enough to defend their crown as league champions with one game to spare last Sunday night, July 7, at a packed Rizal Memorial Stadium.
You couldn’t write a better script than this. The former Ateneo Blue Eagle forward, now wearing #18 for Kaya FC, converted the penalty he earned in the 18th minute, firing the ball into the top corner past one of the season’s best goalkeepers, Dini Outtara. This marked his last-ever goal for the club, his 23rd of the season, following his announcement of leaving Kaya after two decorated seasons—a perfect send-off for the two-time UAAP men’s football champ, two-time PFL champ, and one-time domestic cup winner.
The cherry on top of the title defense was goalkeeper Walid Birrou’s clutch performance in the dying minutes of the match. Facing a penalty that could have equalized for Davao, the Spanish keeper, who last played in Gibraltar, got into the mind of Davao striker Ibrahima N’dour, impressively reading his penalty to parry it away in the 83rd minute. Another vital stop deep into stoppage time from a powerful free kick by Daisuke Sato sealed the league title for the defending champions.
Supporters from both sides packed the RMS grandstands as the Sons of Mighty Kaya and Ultras Dabaw exchanged chants and drumlines, matching the intensity of the battle on the pitch between the league’s top-scoring team and its most defensive team.
Under the Adriatico lights, both teams fought toe-to-toe. The defending champs put everything on the line with a full-strength squad, despite head coach Yu Hoshide benching midfield talisman Kaishu Yamazaki. Meanwhile, the underdog mentality of Davao Aguilas persisted as they remained resilient throughout the match, with coach Aber Ruzgal handing debuts to Korean brothers Mun Te-su and Mun Jun-su in place of a recovering Omae So and the suspended Yusuke Unoki, who scored a hat trick in their win over Maharlika Taguig the previous week.
Before Gayoso’s decisive penalty, it was a closely contested encounter with chances for Janjan Melliza and Robert Lopez Mendy for Kaya, and efforts from Mun Te-su for Davao. However, Gayoso’s goal shifted the momentum to Kaya, with their disciplined backline frustrating Davao’s forwards with well-timed offside traps, while Davao’s defense, led by Shoma and Daisuke Sato, kept Kaya’s shots either wide or safely into the hands of Outtara.
In the second half, Davao had better chances as they sought the equalizer, with Mun Te-su hitting the crossbar with a volley in the 77th minute. However, their lack of creativity in midfield was exploited by Kaya’s defense, spearheaded by Yi-Young Park, who intercepted and tackled effectively. Uriel Dalapo came on for Davao and won a penalty from a foul by Mar Diano just outside the penalty box, only for Kaya’s new goalkeeper Walid Birrou to steal the spotlight at the death.
This victory for Kaya also sealed the domestic double for the club this season, having previously won the 2023 Copa Paulino Alcantara in a penalty shootout against Davao Aguilas FC last December. Despite another loss and conceding another trophy to Kaya, Davao can hold their heads high with a determined performance against the defending champions.
The season concludes next weekend with the now-champions Kaya FC aiming to finish unbeaten against their historic rivals Loyola FC, while Davao Aguilas FC looks to end their season strongly against an in-form Philippine Air Force.
