Imus, Cavite — Kaya FC-Iloilo find their way back to winning ways with an exhilarating 4-0 away victory over Mendiola FC 1991. Four goals scored by four different goalscorers for the yellow and black, extending Iloilo’s lead atop the PFL Standings.

Prolific left winger Daizo Horikoshi opened the scoring in the 41st minute, pouncing on an errant pass from the Mendiola backline. The speedster took several dribbles in open space until he got to his sweet spot just outside the penalty area, before placing the ball cleanly into the bottom left corner. (0-1)

Drifting in from the right flank, Eric Giganto would get the chance to double the lead almost immediately after—but his strike from just inside the box sailed up and over the crossbar. The match proceeded to even out for a stretch between the hosts’ low block and the visitors’ steady build up, but the floodgates eventually did open in the second half. 

In a 63rd minute counterattack right up the middle, Zach Banzon rolled the ball out to Arnel Amita who in turn played a lovely through ball to Jhan Melliza. With just a lone defender to beat, the lefty drifted to his favored side and fired a missile from just beyond the 18-yard box that dipped into the bottom left corner once more. (0-2)

Amita followed up his assist with a goal of his own a minute later. Jhan Jhan intercepted another wayward pass in the final third, the ball falling to Nano for a quick pass to Daizo up the left flank. #10 then made a beeline for the near post, hitting the winger’s return cross first-time and into the back of the net. (0-3) 

To cap off the deluge, Dylan Nobiraki turned in Iloilo’s fourth in the 77th minute. In the chaos following a corner, Jovin Bedic popped the ball up to the edge of the 6-yard box for Horikoshi—who sent it across the goal face to his fellow countryman for his first goal on the Philippine stage. (0-4)

A confidence-building performance from the boys today, bouncing back from last week’s loss with a statement win in Cavite. 

Starting Lineup:

CF: Behgandom

LMF: Horikoshi, CMF: Amita, CMF: Melliza, RMF: Giganto

DMF: Nobiraki

LB: Arboleda, CB: Casambre, CB: Menzi, RB: Diano

GK: Banzon

Coach Yu Hoshide used three substitutions on the afternoon: 

• Arnel Amita and Marco Casambre came off in the 66th minute for Marwin Angeles and Tamon Horikoshi; the latter making his Kaya debut off the bench.
• Eric Giganto was relieved by Jovin Bedic in the 74th minute. 

Two of Iloilo’s latest reinforcements made their way into the referee’s books in this match: Dylan Nobiraki and Milad Beghandom in the 18th and 36th minutes, respectively.