By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Kaya FC-Iloilo will be returning to action in the grandest stage of Philippine football as the Copa Paulino Alcantara Cup kicks off.
Fresh off a championship title in the Philippines Football League (PFL) several months ago, the Ilonggo booters will be on-track in clinching its second-straight crown as they begin their Copa Paulino campaign on August 12, 2023.
Kaya FC will be seeking its first win in the prestigious football tournament against the Loyola Football Club to be held in the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Aside from the Rizal Memorial Stadium, Kaya FC will also be playing matches at the University of Makati Stadium and the Biñan Football Stadium.
Kaya FC was slotted in Group A together with Inter Manila FC, Loyola FC, Don Bosco Garelli FC, FEU Tamaraws, and the Philippine Air Force.
“We’re excited to be playing in the most exciting competition in Philippine football today. The next six months will be the most important in the club’s history,” said Jing Jamlang, a part of Kaya’s staff during the tournament’s press conference.
The usual single round-robin format in the group stage of the preliminaries will be observed by the tournament.
After the eliminations, the top two teams from each group will be clashing in the knockout playoffs to determine the champion.
Teams that were pooled in Group B are: Dynamic Herb Cebu FC, Maharlika Manila FC, Pilipinas Dragons FC, Manila Digger FC, and UP.
Meanwhile, Group C teams that completed the list of tournament participants are Stallion Laguna FC, Philippine Army, Tuloy FC, Adamson, Mendiola FC 1991, and the Davao Aguilas-UMak.
“There are so many looks that we’re gonna get, and for the Philippine football public, this is a competition that you cannot miss,” added Jamlang.
