Manila, Philippines — Kaya FC-Iloilo got the job done, completing the sweep of Group A with a 5-1 win over Far Eastern University in the Copa Paulino Alcantara.
The boys in black took quick control of the match, scoring three times in the opening 15 minutes. Mar Diano was first on the board with a soaring header in the 4th minute of action, the defender the target of an Arnel Amita free kick into the box. (0-1)
Jovin Bedic—who donned the armband once more in his return to the first eleven—followed up with Kaya’s second in the 12th minute. Eric Giganto forced an error from the FEU backline, defelcting a pass inside the opposing box into the captain’s path for an easy finish. (0-2)
Not long after in the 14th, Jhan Melliza joined the fun with a gutsy strike from distance. Building up from the right, Mark Swainston switched play to him in the middle; after which he took two touches before drilling in a low, bouncing ball past the keeper from about thirty yards out (0-3).
Kaya were on a roll from the jump, but their momentum was doused following a collision between Kenry Balobo and FEU’s Selwyn Mamon in the 17th minute—the keeper coming off his line and area to clear away a lobbed ball forward, inadvertently clipping the Tamaraw forward in the process.
The referee saw fit to send him off straight away, leading to the impromptu debut of Henri Bandeken. Iloilo played the rest of the match with just ten men, but the boys stayed patient and steadily built themselves back into the game.
FEU would first capitalize on the chaos however, snatching a goal back right before the halftime break. Bandeken saved the initial strike from Marc Alipoon in the 48th, but the ball fell perfectly for Mamon in the box who buried it in the back of the net. (1-3)
Iloilo seized back control in the second half, adding two entries on the score sheet in the form of another Abou Sy brace—both goals coming within three minutes of each other.
The first came in the 74th when Robert Lopez Mendy pulled off a crafty turn at the edge of the box, then fed his fellow striker for a smooth bottom corner finish. The second came courtesy of Lopez Mendy once more, this time from a 77th minute shot that came off the woodwork and landed exactly at Sy’s feet for the surprise tap-in. (1-5)
Kaya FC-Iloilo remain undefeated in domestic action this season, completing the sweep of Group A in dramatic fashion. Next up, the boys will take on UP in the Copa semifinal before flying out to Korea to continue their ACL campaign.
Starting Lineup:
LF: Giganto, ST: Bedic©, RF: Amita
LWB: Melliza, CM: Angeles, CM: Swainston, RWB: Diano
CB: Tacusalme, CB: Menzi, CB: Rota
GK: Balobo
Subs: Kammeraad, Bandeken, Baas, Casambre, Lopez Mendy, Gayoso, Dizon, Horikoshi, Arboleda, Romero, Sy
Coach Colum Curtis used just four substitutions in this match:
- Henri Bandeken made his debut in the Kaya uniform, checking in for Mar Diano in the 20th minute.
- Abou Sy secured his brace off the bench, coming into the game at halftime for Jovin Bedic.
- Robert Lopez Mendy entered the fold on the 63rd minute, replacing Eric Giganto on the frontline.
- Lastly, Julian Romero came in for Audie Menzi in the 83rd minute.
Other than Kenry Balobo’s red, no other Kaya player received a card from the refereeing in this match.
