Kaya FC-Iloilo took care of business on Wednesday, trouncing Mendiola FC 1991 6-0 and punching their ticket to the Copa Paulino Alcantara’s Knockout Stage. Iloilo dictated the pace from the get go, building slowly from the back and taking their time picking apart the opposition’s press. Kaya follow up their perfect start with an even better finish atop Group B, advancing to the Semi-finals where they await Dynamic Herb Cebu FC.
The captain, Jovin Bedic, opened the floodgates in the 11th minute with a lefty finish following an error by Mendiola’s Clarino. The defender whiffed on Arnel Amita’s lob into the box, leaving the expert striker one on one with the keeper. (0-1)
The Iloilo native would soon double the lead in the 35th minute, after Daizo Horikoshi worked the ball deep into the six yard box. Right on the edge of the endline with the defense closing in on him, he stumbled to the ground but not before tapping the ball to Jovin—who in turn tapped it in for the score and the brace. (0-2)
Not five minutes later, the ball found its way to the back of the net for the third time. Horikoshi’s cross was corralled easily by Mendiola’s keeper Asong, who then rolled it to his teammate Ashley inside their own box. This turned out to be a mistake, as the midfielder found himself getting rushed from behind by Bedic and fired a wayward pass that was intercepted by Ryo Fujii. He sent the ball past the retreating keeper and into the bottom left corner, scoring his first ever goal for Kaya FC-Iloilo. (0-3)
The hits kept coming for the San Beda affiliate after the halftime break, with the ball pinging from yellow shirt to yellow shirt through the midfield and into the final third. In a display of excellent build up in the 63rd minute, Carlyle Mitchell sent the ball up the middle to Jovin at midfield who then fed Horikoshi over the top of the defense. Daizo got all the way to the penalty area before cutting back, setting up Kenshiro Daniels with ample time to aim and fire away. (0-4)
Later on in the 83rd, Marwin Angeles fired a perfectly weighted pass through the teeth of the defense and found Horikoshi yet again. He had a step on his man, took two touches and slid the ball into the bottom right corner this time. (0-5) Daizo then went for his third assist of the afternoon, sending a high ball into the box on a corner in added time. The big man Mitchell got in on the goal scoring action, and rose for a header in the 91st. (0-6)
Kaya used all five available substitutions, starting with Fitch Arboleda in for Masanari Omura in the 61st. Marwin Angeles and Jhan-jhan Melliza checked in for Arnel Amita and Kenshiro Daniels in the 69th, while Camelo Tacusalme and Shirmar Felongco came in for Audie Menzi and Dylan de Bruycker in the 84th.
Coming off of the Azkals Development Team match—which had its moments of franticness that kept their defensive structure in check—Kaya showed up firing on all cylinders. It was a near flawless execution of the game plan, featuring crisp passing that simply sliced through the field any way they needed to. The difference in experience made itself clear in the poise Iloilo showed, as they shredded the press and advanced the ball whenever they wanted to. Kaya FC-Iloilo were in control of the match from beginning to end, getting revenge on Mendiola for last season’s draw and much, much more.
