By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Kaya Futbol Club-Iloilo women’s team reached the knockout round of the PFF Women’s League after an 8-1 beating of Azzurri SC at the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite.

Shelah Cadag led the way with four goals, returning Sara Castañeda, Zhyrelle Belluga, Negrense Hazel Lustan, and Francine Rast added a conversion each as Kaya-Iloilo improved to 19 points.

Cadag drew first blood for the Iloilo City-based lady booters with her 14th-minute conversion, but Azzurri SC knotted the score at 1-1 courtesy of a 15th-minute goal by Precious Casapao.

Castañeda regained the lead for Kaya-Iloilo as she found the back of the net in the 18th minute before Cadag scored in the 23rd and 37th minutes as they established a 3-1 lead at the half.

Kaya-Iloilo continued its run in the second half as Cadag notched her fourth goal in the 49th minute before Belluga, Lustan and Rast netted a conversion each as they closed the match with an 8-1 score.

“It was a nice game as we needed to secure the final four,” Cadag, who now has eight total goals this season for Kaya-Iloilo, said.

“We did our best to score and stand united as a team,” she added.

With the outcome, Kaya-Iloilo has tied Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, De La Salle University Lady Archers and Manila Diggers FC on top of the standings with 19 points each.

However, Kaya-Iloilo women’s team, the Lady Tamaraws and Manila Diggers still hold a game in hand heading into the final two weeks of the elimination round.

Meanwhile, the Lady Archers booked their place in the next round after a tight 1-0 victory over Manila Nomads FC, courtesy of a first half conversion by the league’s top-scorer, Angelica Teves.

Teves, who now has 17 total goals in the tournament, drilled the marginal goal in the 29th minute from the penalty spot after midfielder Samantha Toledo was brought down inside the box./ASC, WDJ