By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Kaya Futbol Club-Iloilo rolled to their third straight win in the 2023 Copa Paulino Alcantara after a 9-1 beating of Philippine Air Force at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Saturday night, August 26.

Daizo Horikoshi, Abou Sy and Jarvey Gayoso fired two goals each, while Nano Amita, Ricardo Sendra and Justin Baas added a connection each to lead the way for the defending champions Kaya-Iloilo.

Kaya-Iloilo drew first blood in the 17th minute as Horikoshi connected from close range on a cross by Amita before he completed his brace seven minutes later with a smooth finish into the box.

The Iloilo City-based booters made it 3-0 as Sy scored one from the edge of the box from a pass by Amita before the former notched his second goal a minute later from a pass by Ilonggo Jhan Jesus Melliza.

After making two assists, Amita entered the goal column in the 41st minute as he put away a cross by Horikoshi before Kaya-Iloilo closed the first half with a header from Sendra from a pass by Horikoshi.

Kaya-Iloilo went on their goal spree in the second half as substitute Baas immediately entered the scoring column as he hit a spin cycle before losing his marker to put away Kaya’s seventh goal.

Gayoso then netted his first goal of the match in the 51st minute as he worked his way into range from a throw-in, before he notched his second goal late in the game from a pass by Melliza.

However, Kaya Futbol Club-Iloilo was denied a clean slate as Philippine Air Force managed to pull away a consolation goal courtesy of an 84th minute conversion from Jan Delariarte.

Kaya-Iloilo remained in second place in Group A with nine points after winning all of its three matches so far, while Philippine Air Force remained in third place with six points on two wins and two losses.

The Colum Curtis-mentored football team hopes to keep its perfect record when it battles Group A leader Club de Futbol Manila FC at the same venue on Sunday, September 3./ASC, WDJ