Defending Philippines Football League champion Kaya FC-Iloilo delivered a 7-0 trashing to Loyola FC to open its campaign in the 2023 Copa Paulino Alcantara at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex last Saturday.
In its first match of the country’s premier cup competition, Kaya showed no mercy as Fitch Arboleda and Justin Baas each scored a brace in the biggest scoreline in this year’s edition of the Copa.
New signings Ricki Sendra (11th minute), Abou Sy (57th minute), and Mark Swainston (88th minute) added their names to the scoresheet in this one-sided match.
This was also the first win of Kaya under head coach Colum Curtis of Northern Ireland, who was hired this month for the club’s Copa and the AFC Champions League.
“Firstly, very happy with the effort the players put in. Tactically, there were new concepts introduced with one week in on the role,” Curtis said.
“So happy with the players for tonight’s win, especially it being a derby. The last games against Loyola haven’t been favorable to Kaya fans so now we can change that with a convincing win.”
With Loyola finishing the group stages with a 1-1-3 win-draw-loss record in Group A, the Greyhounds are the first squad in the tournament to be eliminated.
Earlier, Maharlika Manila FC salvaged a 1-1 draw against Manila Digger FC to begin its campaign in the Copa.
John Azares scored in the 39th minute before Ibrahima Ndour scored an equalizer in the 62nd minute.
In the final game of the day, Davao Aguilas FC forced a 3-3 draw over Mendiola FC 1991.
Down 2-3 in the 94th minute, Marvin Angeles scored a header to salvage a point for the Aguilas.
