Kaya FC-Iloilo seeks to clinch second straight win in AFC Cup

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Kaya FC-Iloilo will look to continue their dominant outing in the AFC Cup as they aim to notch their second straight victory against the Tampine Rovers today, Feb 26, 2020.

Scoring two late goals in the second half against Shan United FC in their first game, Kaya strikers will try to maintain their high level of play in order to secure another win.

Ilonggo Jovin Bedic and striker Eric Giganto will play crucial roles as the team will rely on the duo to control the pace of the game and dictate the tempo of the match.

However, the Rovers, a professional football club based in Singapore, also beefed up their roster and will look to score an upset against Kaya.

Despite the much-improved roster, the Rovers squad also gained experience from numerous pocket tournaments internationally, making it a tough game for Kaya.

Kaya will defend their home pitch at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum starting 7 p.m.

Tampines Rovers got off to a triumphant start against PSM Makassar (2-1) at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.

“That’s the best way to start the season. The challenge is, can we maintain the consistency. It’s going to be a long year,” said Tampines Rovers head coach Gavin Lee.

Knowing that they will be facing tough opposition in Kaya FC-Iloilo, coach Lee mentioned that they have been busy studying their Filipino opponents. “We’re all excited to be here. We’re expecting a fierce contest,” he added.

Kaya FC-Iloilo head coach, Oliver Colina agreed the match would likely be a competitive affair, but he remains confident in Kaya’s ability to cope with the Rovers’ fluid passing game. “It’s very important to win. We prepared for this team. We’re ready for tomorrow’s game. We’re very confident,” he said.

Although the ongoing COVID-19 situation is far from ideal, Angeles is hopeful that the comforts of home will play a role in swinging the match in Kaya’s favor. “We hoped to play in Iloilo, but Rizal is still our home and it’s nice to play in front of our home crowd. It will boost, for sure, our confidence. We hope we can still get a good crowd for tomorrow’s game.”

With both clubs being on form and wanting to keep a clean slate in the tournament, Wednesday’s AFC Cup clash in Group H is expected to be a cracking contest.

In line with the Philippine Sports Commission’s (PSC) advice due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19, spectators should expect a temperature check at the gates. Spectators with a temperature above 37.5°C will not be allowed to enter the stadium. Furthermore, fan zone activities have been canceled, and spectators are advised to wear their face masks at all times for their own safety.

The match will be aired live over 5 Plus and Fox Sports 2, and can be live streamed over ESPN5’s YouTube channel. (With a report from Kaya FC)