Kaya FC-Iloilo tripped Stallion Laguna FC, 2-1, yesterday to make the Copa Paulino Alcantara final for the fifth straight time at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.
The reigning Philippines Football League titleholders, the Lions also will figure in the championship round on a soon-to-be-announced date.
To get the job done, Ricky Sendras opened scoring with a goal in the 18th minute.
Sensing danger, the Stallions got back and struck in the 28th minute but Abraham Pacheco conceded an own goal to make it 2-1 for Kaya.
Kaya head coach Colum Curtis expressed delight over how his players handled the game as his squad is fresh from absorbing a 3-0 beating from Yokohama F. Marinos last week in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League.
“Coming back into the Copa is a different dynamic and the boys did very well. The job’s not done yet and it’s going to be a tough match whether we play Cebu or Davao,” said Curtis, who entered his first Copa final as a coach in the Philippines.
“There’s no point in getting into a final without winning a trophy so we’ll do our best to bring a trophy home.”
Kaya is looking to be the second team to win both the PFL and Copa titles in the same year since Ceres Negros FC did the trick in 2019.
