MANILA – Kaya Futbol Club-Iloilo is eyeing to play in front of their Ilonggo fans in the latter part of the 2022 Philippines Football League which will open this weekend.
According to Philippine Football Federation president Mariano Araneta, PFL teams can soon host home matches as the league is plotting to bring back the home-and-away format this season.
The PFL, which is making a comeback after two years, will have a quadruple round robin format. Each team will play a total of 24 matches and with the No.1 team being declared champion.
“The first two rounds of the PFL is to be played at the PFF National Training Centre in Carmona Cavite or Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila,” Araneta said.
“The full home-and-away format could resume by the third round. We want to play in Iloilo, in Cebu, in Tarlac, in Biñan and in Clark, so they have to schedule,” he added.
Prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Kaya-Iloilo has been playing their PFL home matches at the Iloilo Sports Complex at La Paz, Iloilo City.
Kaya-Iloilo last played at home during the 2019 PFL Season on September 26, 2019 where they scored a 5-0 victory over Philippine Air Force FC behind the four-goal performance of ex-player Jordan Mintah.
Kaya-Iloilo of head coach Yu Hoshide is aiming for its third consecutive championship after ruling the 2021 and 2022 edition of Copa Paulino Alcantara tournaments.
The Iloilo City-based team is still to be led by Ilonggos Jovin Bedic, Shirmar Felongco and Jhan Melliza and Talisay City, Negros Occidental-native Camelo Tacusalme.
Aside from Kaya-Iloilo, other competing PFL teams were four-time defending champs United City FC, Stallion-Laguna FC, Azkals Developmental Team, Maharlika Manila FC, Cebu FC and Mendiola 1991 FC./PN
