Kaya Iloilo Held to Goalless Draw Against One Taguig The defending champions experience their first setback of the season, eager to glean lessons from Saturday’s draw.

Despite a commanding performance that saw them limit their opponents to just two shots the whole game, Kaya FC-Iloilo dropped points Saturday evening against the newly-formed One Taguig FC. 

The match began with both teams employing a physical, yet cautious approach: trading fouls, exchanging possession, and probing for opportunities. As the first half progressed, Kaya gradually seized control of the match—the men in yellow & black jerseys dictating tempo while swiftly cutting off chances on counterattack. 

Although possession stats were evenly matched, Iloilo clearly dominated in terms of creating chances in the final third. However, the team faced difficulties converting these opportunities into goals, resulting in several missed opportunities in front of goal.

In the midst of all the action, the contentious penalty shouts in the second half added drama to an already tense match with heavy title implications. Nevertheless, this performance will serve as a valuable learning experience for the still relatively-new Kaya side as they navigate the rest of the season.

The team’s attention now turns completely to the upcoming home fixture in Iloilo. With the title race intensifying, the goal now is to once again convert these dominant displays into definitive wins, aiming to climb back atop the league standings.

 

Player Spotlight: 

Yiyoung Park 
Kaya’s newly-signed anchor man put on an impressive display of midfield control against a Taguig side chock-full of talent and experience. He served as an orchestrator in possession, playing passes over the top for the team’s best chances of the night. Out of possession, he and the backline swallowed up the opposition, limiting them to just two shot attempts the whole match. 

Fitch Arboleda  
With the center blocked off, Taguig turned their attacking focus towards Kaya’s flanks. Stationed on the left of the backline, the vice-captain did admirably keeping their wingers at bay, winning 4/5 tackles on his side of the pitch. There was no joy to be found down the left, Fitch made sure of that.

Kaishu Yamazaki
Though he was ultimately unable to find the back of the net, Kaishu was the most consistent attacking threat Kaya had in this match. The midfielder’s movements in the box highlighted his sense for good positioning, showing he’s just as dangerous as a finisher as he is a distributor.