Noel Marcaida Sees Double Red as Opportunity With the prospect of missing all three of their African players in their next game, Kaya FC–Iloilo are in a tough spot ahead of two huge matches in Iloilo.

Heading into the Global Cebu match, for Noel Marcaida’s side, the idea was simple: get a fifth-straight win in the Philippines Football League, enjoy a short break, then prepare for two massive matches back home in Iloilo — June 2 against the Davao Aguilas, then June 9, against Ceres Negros.

After 45 minutes against last year’s runners-up – despite missing a penalty — the visitors were in control, creating chances, and mostly unthreatened at the back. Kaya FC–Iloilo was on track. But as is often the case in football, the path is hardly without unforeseen twists and turns. By the time the full-time whistle blew, Iloilo had lost two players to red cards, and had absorbed a 3-1 defeat, to a struggling side that had no prior victories in five outings this season.

After the match, head coach Noel Marcaida rued the inability to stay calm in a highly physical contest.

“At the end of the day, whoever is hungrier to win, whoever has the cool head, is concentrated, focused, and really switched on in the game, they’ll be able to get the good result,” he said, before giving his take on Robert Lopez Mendy’s emotional reaction to absorbing a heavy foul.

“This is the type of game wherein players have to control their emotions. For me, it’s completely unnecessary [to react] because the call was made already. You can see the referee had his hand in his pocket, ready to give the card. It’s tough,” he added.

To compound the problem, not only did the result end a streak of four-straight PFL wins, but the two dismissals also meant the club would be without the services of Robert Lopez Mendy and Alfred Osei for the next home game. With Jordan Mintah’s health still in question as well after going down injured last weekend, it’s possible Kaya FC–Iloilo will be without their three top scorers in their return to Iloilo. Marcaida accepted the situation was far from ideal, but he quickly pointed out that it shouldn’t be all doom and gloom.

“It’s really disappointing in a sense that not only for this game, but the upcoming game, we’ll be missing our foreign players that we have. We will be playing with only one foreigner (Masanari Omura) going forward,” he said.

“It will be tough facing a team (Davao) with really talented players, and who physically, have the advantage. But these are the type of games where we need some of the players to really step up and play well,” he added. “I’m looking forward to seeing my players really working hard, especially for those who haven’t been playing”