IT’S BEEN a long time coming but after a long wait football has finally come home to Iloilo. Yes folks, top flight football is in Iloilo. We football loving Ilonggos have a team we can call our very own. And it started with this:
Panay News (Feb. 2, 2018): Kaya Futbol Club is officially partnering with Iloilo province for the 2018 Philippine Football League as it makes the Iloilo Sports Complex in La Paz, Iloilo City as its home field.
Finally, a professional football team we can call our own: Kaya FC – Iloilo.
That little kid playing in the football pitches in La Paz, Santa Barbara and Barotac Nuevo plazas will finally have something to look forward to be a professional footballer and wear the colors of Kaya FC – Iloilo.
After several stumbling blocks both technical and financial (on the part of Global FC Cebu and not Kaya FC – Iloilo) it finally came to pass. Kaya FC – Iloilo had its first home game at the Iloilo Sports Complex on Sunday, May 20.
Excerpts from the May 21 issue of Panay News”
PFL: kaya takes down Aguilas in home field
KAYA Iloilo made a rousing debut at its home field at the Iloilo Sports Complex in Iloilo City. It defeated Davao San Miguel Aguilas 4-2 in the 2018 Philippines Football League on Sunday.
Robert Lopez Mendy finished with a hat-trick while Jordan Mintah made a conversion for Kaya, which moved up to top of the table with 16 points on five wins, a draw and two losses.
“We were really looking forward to this game – our first here in Iloilo,” said Kaya head coach Noel Marcaida. “The players were motivated by the support shown by football-loving Ilonggos.”
Kaya drew first blood early in the match courtesy of Mintah from a feed by Ilonggo Jovin Bedic. But Mintah hurt his knee in a collision and was stretchered off in the next play.
With Aguilas missing in its attempts, Kaya managed to double the advantage just before halftime – Lopez Mendy intercepted a pass by Aguilas’ Nicholas O’Donnell for a close-range shot.
Davao was able to pull one back early in the second period courtesy of a header by James Younghusband. Iloilo quickly extended the lead with Lopez Mendy scoring a header from a free kick by Miguel Tanton.
Aguilas trimmed the deficit anew 2-3 in the 69th minute with Takashi Odawara converting from a corner kick. Kaya raised the advantage after Lopez Mendy scored on a header from a Tanton free kick.
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A rousing debut indeed as a near-capacity loud and animated crowd cheered the home team to an astounding victory over the visitors.
Excerpts from Fox Sports News:
In the first game of Kaya in Iloilo, a sizeable crowd was evident. The fact that admission to the stadium was not for free says a lot of the potential of having paying fans see a professional league football game in the city (which also serves the region).
The club just needs to work in growing that fan base more through sustained marketing and awareness, and it could have a strong “12th man” sooner than later.
The first step is already there, which is having a winning club. If results can be sustained, and if Kaya can engage with their fans and future fans in Iloilo more, then a near-capacity stadium will really be something for the team during match days.
That item from Fox Sports came as a no surprise as Ilonggos are always passionate about the “beautiful game”, not to mention quite knowledgeable about its nuances than the average sports fan i.e. an offside call by the linesman which disallowed a goal by Davao Aguila was easily understood and of course appreciated by the home crowd.
The homecoming debut of Kaya FC – Iloilo was made sweeter by the presence of Iloilo governor Arthur Defensor Sr. and his lovely wife and again that comes as a no surprise. Defensor may not have the football pedigree as his sports consultant Pablito Araneta but he is one if not the strongest supporter of Iloilo football.
And take note, his son Arthur Defensor Jr., currently congressman of Iloilo’s 3rd District, once played for the first-ever U-13 football team of Assumption Iloilo decades ago. By the way moi was the coach of that champion team.
Amidst that animated crowd loudly cheering the home team moi can’t help but feel nostalgic remembering my footballing days decades ago. The atmosphere at the Iloilo Sports Complex that Sunday was like a football match between San Agustin and Central Philippine University or CPU at the old San Agustin football grounds.
And for that old man who once wore the colors of San Agustin, Iloilo and Western Visayas playing football for school, province and region, he will finally have something to look forward to: match day for the home team at the Iloilo Sports Complex.
And that day has finally arrived and what a glorious day, Jugo bonito KAYA FC – Iloilo! (brotherlouie16@gmail.com/PN)
