Kaya FC–Iloilo Eager to Bounce Back and Overcome Absence of Key Players Saturday's match might be a rematch between Kaya FC–Iloilo and Davao Aguilas, but it will be a vastly different contest.
After a spectacular debut in their new home last week, Kaya FC–Iloilo is set to face the Davao Aguilas once again at the Iloilo Sports Complex at 4pm, on Saturday (June 1). While the contest is a rematch between the two sides, the dynamic is drastically different. Iloilo will be without the services of key players Jordan Mintah (injury), Robert Lopez Mendy (suspension), and Alfred Osei (suspension), while Davao will be playing their first match under new head coach Melchor Anzures.
“It’s not a secret that we’ll be missing two foreign players due to red cards, and we’ll also be missing [Jordan] Mintah due to injury. I’m not going to say it’s pressure — it’s a challenge. And it’s an opportunity for our players to really step up, especially for those that haven’t played too many minutes,” said Kaya head coach Noel Marcaida. “There are aspects [to our play] that might be affected, but still, we have found ways to play against Davao tomorrow. It’ll be an interesting game because, for sure Davao will also play a different game.
After 10 matches in the 2018 Philippines Football League season, Davao have decided to replace Marlon Maro with Melchor Anzures, a change that has the Aguilas raring to go on Saturday afternoon. Davao will be looking for a bit of revenge, after suffering a 4-2 defeat in their visit to Iloilo last May 20.
“All the players are looking forward to the game. We have a new coach, and team spirit is very high. Hopefully tomorrow’s game will be a different outcome from last week,” said Davao’s Phil Younghusband. “There’s been 10 goals in two games between Kaya and Davao. Please come tomorrow. Expect a lot of goals – hopefully more for us than Kaya. It should be a great game.”
“There will be an adjustment of course, but I can’t reveal those things. Surely, it’ll be an entertaining match tomorrow,” added new head coach Melchor Anzures.
Both teams will be highly motivated to get back to winning ways. Davao are on a two-game losing skid, while Kaya FC–Iloilo had their four-game winning streak snapped against Global Cebu on May 23.
“All the boys are really excited to play tomorrow. It’s our second game in Iloilo. In the first game we had a lot of support. The fans were amazing. It’ll be nice to step out in front of them again. Hopefully we can give them an entertaining game just like last time,” said Kaya midfielder Antonio Ugarte. “It’s going to be a tough game. The most important thing is that we keep our focus for the full 90 minutes. In the last game against Global we lost our focus a bit at crucial times. If we have our minds right — ready to play, ready to fight — I think it’ll be a good match for us.”
The match is scheduled to kickoff at 4pm, although weather conditions might lead to an earlier kickoff time of 3:30pm. A final decision is expected to be made by Friday evening. Tickets are on sale now at SM Cinemas, and will be available at the Iloilo Sports Complex on match day. Ticket prices are P50 for Grandstand, and P150 for VIP. The match will also be live-streamed via PFLTV.ph.
“It’s always an advantage playing at home, especially when you’re playing here in Iloilo. The crowd is really supportive. In the last game, the atmosphere was really great. We’re really looking forward to that atmosphere again tomorrow,” said Marcaida. “I want to invite all the Ilonggos to come out and watch the game, and support Kaya FC–Iloilo.”
