Kaya FC Gear Up for Visayas Clasico to Start 2023 PFL 2023 — Kaya hosts Round Three between Iloilo and Cebu.

The time has come once more for a derby match between two of the Philippines Football League’s top contenders: Kaya FC-Iloilo and Dynamic Herb Cebu FC. 

The season series is currently split between the teams; the yellow and black took the first fixture on neutral soil, while the reds exacted payback in their Cebu debut. This next round will be taking place at the Iloilo Sports Complex, where Kaya’s 12th man is expected to play a huge role in swinging the game towards the home team. 

“There was a sense of unity between players and fans in the stadium the last time we played in Iloilo,” noted head coach Yu Hoshide. “Hopefully this time again, the fans will give extra energy to the players.”

When the team entered the Gentle Giants’ den last October, the rambunctious Cebuano crowd helped will their team to a 3-2 victory that very nearly saw Kaya equalize at the death. Without question, the passion for football is alive and well in Visayas—and the club’s long-awaited homecoming didn’t disappoint.

The Ilonggo crowd didn’t lose out in terms of intensity and warm welcomes, showing up in force to Kaya’s final fixture of 2022 against United City FC. Rejuvenated to once again put on a show for the fans, the boys pulled out a 2-1 victory to celebrate the club’s return home. 

Kaya FC-Iloilo enter the 2023 calendar year looking to extend their lead atop the PFL standings—amassing thirty points in the first half of the season, a full nine points ahead of Cebu FC (who have two games in hand). 

Eager to kick things off, Coach Hoshide had this to say about the team’s morale heading into the upcoming restart.  

“I am really excited to resume the league again. We have a strong squad and made good preparations, so hopefully we will have a good start to 2023 next week.”

“This is the first game of the year so there is a possibility that it will be a nervous game,” he continued. “But we’ve had good preseason practices so I hope the players will fight with confidence.

Coming back from a long break against a quality opponent isn’t going to be easy, but the Japanese tactician believes that the pieces are in place for a Kaya victory this weekend.

“Confidence and experience are the key!” Coach Yu proclaimed. “Especially since we have many experienced players, I’m confident that they’ll show 100% on the field on February 19.”

See you all at the Iloilo Sports Complex next Sunday! Kickoff’s at 3:00 PM, but gates open at 1:30 PM. Tickets are available at the stadium entrance: ₱200 for VIP and ₱100 for the Grandstand! You can also catch the livestream at home on the PFL’s Facebook and YouTube pages!