Carmona, Cavite — After a suspenseful ending to the previous match, Kaya FC-Iloilo left no room for doubt this time around with a 3-0 victory over Dynamic Herb Cebu FC. The boys secured all three points convincingly, finishing atop the Copa Paulino Alcantara table.

Iloilo took the initiative from the opening whistle and kept Cebu on the back foot with constant pressure. Quick on the attack and making full use of their speed advantage, the boys did well to dictate the pace and keep their opponents pinned to their half. The lengthy stay in enemy territory led to multiple chances, which in turn led to multiple set pieces which Kaya took full advantage of.

In the 15^th minute, Patrick Arthur followed up on a poorly cleared corner and got fouled right at the edge of the box. He, Jhan Melliza, Daizo Horikoshi, and Robert Lopez Mendy held a small meeting to decide on the taker, but Arthur ultimately stepped up to the task himself. The Ghanaian midfielder proceeded to fire an absolute laser towards the crossbar and in, opening his Philippine account in style with a powerful free kick. (1-0)

The advantage doubled in the 34^th minute when Horikoshi got taken down inside the penalty area. The Japanese speedster beat his defender to the ball, only to get hooked by the feet for his trouble. The Set Piece Council held another brief conference, but Daizo-san took it upon himself to finish the job—sending the keeper the wrong way and coolly planting the ball in the bottom left corner. (2-0)

Kaya played a strong first half, forcing Dynamic Herb to constantly track back while also disrupting their attempts to build up any kind of rhythm. However, the true test lay ahead in whether or not the boys would keep up the intensity in the second period.

Things got off to a shaky start with Cebu earning a set piece chance of their own shortly after play resumed, but Iloilo quickly recovered and got back into the swing of things—bringing the physicality and aggression needed to stomp out potential comebacks.

Jesse Curran checked onto the field at the 57-minute mark and immediately provided a creative presence up the right side. In just two minutes, the Azkals representative orchestrated the proverbial nail in the coffin and put the lead out of reach. Curran glided towards the right edge of the box before sending an early cross into the middle, connecting with Lopez Mendy before falling perfectly to Horikoshi for his second goal of the afternoon. (3-0)

Daizo entered the game tied with UCFC’s Sendra and Cebu’s Çinkir in the Golden Boot race, but his brace puts him well in front heading into the home stretch. This match also saw Jarvey Gayoso making his first start for the yellow and black, as well as playing his first full 90-minutes of the season.

All in all, Kaya accomplished what they set out to do. Even after establishing a comfortable lead in the first half, the boys kept fighting the whole way through and overpowered the red-hot challengers. Having gotten over that hump, Iloilo can now ride this momentum into the final two cup fixtures.

Coach Yu Hoshide made two personnel changes during the match—switching out Shirmar Felongco for Jesse Curran in the 57^th minute and Jhan Melliza for Arnel Amita in the 69^th. Felongco was the lone Kaya player to get booked in this match, receiving a yellow card after a mid-air collision in the 28^th.

All eyes now turn to the Semifinal Round, where Kaya FC-Iloilo will once again be facing Stallion Laguna FC. The rematch date is set for Monday, May 16 with a 5:00 PM kickoff. We’re in the endgame now, just a pair of wins away from completing the Copa title defense.