ILOILO City – Kaya Football Club-Iloilo is set to play host to Dynamic Herb Cebu Football Club in a match dubbed the “Visayas Derby” at the resumption of the 2022-2023 Philippines Football League on Sunday at the Iloilo Sports Complex here.
The Iloilo City-based football club is currently on top of the standings with 30 points, on 10 victories and two defeats, while Dynamic Herb Cebu is at third spot with 21 points, on six wins, three draws and a loss.
This is the third meeting between the two squads. Kaya-Iloilo won their first encounter, 3-0, at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium before the Dynamic Herb bounced back last October, 3-2, in Cebu City.
Kaya-Iloilo head coach Yu Hoshide is hopeful that Ilonggo football fans will show up just like in their 3-1 win over United City Football Club in their first-ever home game this season against last November.
“There was a sense of unity between players and fans in the stadium the last time we played in Iloilo,” said Hoshide. “Hopefully this time again, the fans will give extra energy to the players.”
However, Kaya-Iloilo had some subtractions in its roster during the league break in Ilonggo Shirmar Felongco, Carlyle Mitchell, Patrick Arthur, Patrick Azare, Sandro Reyes, Oskari Kekkonnen, Quincy Kammeraad and Connor Tacagni.
But Kaya-Iloilo had some new signees in former Pasargad FC player Milad Behgandom of Iran and Japanese players Tamon Horikoshi and Dylan Nobiraki.
Still leading the squad were Ilonggos Jovin Bedic, Camelo Tacusalme and Jesus Melliza, Robert Lopez Mendy, Jarvey Gayoso, Daizo Horikoshi, Fitch Arboleda, Eric Giganto, Marwin Angeles, Arnel Amita, Simone Rota, Audie Menzi, Mar Diano, Nathan Bata, Marco Casambre, Kenry Balobo and Zach Banzon.
“I am really excited to resume the league again. We have a strong squad and made good preparations, so hopefully we will have a good start to 2023 next week,” Hoshide said.
“This is the first game of the year so there is a possibility that it will be a nervous game,” he added. “But we’ve had good preseason practices so I hope the players will fight with confidence.
Tickets for the Kaya-Iloilo FC-Dynamic Herb-Cebu FC will be available at the Iloilo Sports Complex. Matches will start at 3 in the afternoon but the gates will be open at 1:30 p.m./PN
