By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Kaya FC-Iloilo did enough to contain their Visayan rival squad Dynamic Herb Cebu FC when the tightly-contested showdown ended in a 1-1 draw, last April 23, 2023, in the ongoing Philippines Football League (PFL).
Daizo Horikoshi provided the first blood for the Ilonggo squad after finding the back of the net in the first seven minutes of action.
Despite the patient defense Cebu had in their penalty area, Horikoshi was able to out-maneuver the Dynamic Herb defenders after quickly tapping in the ball with the help from Mar Diano and Ilonggo Jhan Melliza.
The high-octane match continued in a physical fashion as Cebu reverted to their aggressive plays which led to an opening 12 minutes after the Horikoshi goal.
With a free kick awarded to the Cebuanos in the 19th-minute mark, Dynamic Herb found perfect timing to equalize as Daniel Gadia cruised past Kaya FC’s last line of defense to tie things up, 1-1.
The exchange of attempts continued for 70 more minutes as both squads turned their focus to their defensive pieces to avoid any early goals.
Horikoshi was close to delivering another conversion for the Ilonggos in the 68th minute when he received a sweet through ball pass but his shot went off in Cebu’s goal post.
Dynamic Herb quickly retaliated with their own close attempt after a well-designed play in the left flank but Kaya FC’s midfield defenders were able to tap the ball away to avoid a 1-2 hole.
The match then officially ended in a draw with Iloilo still prevailing in the standings with 46 points, edging Cebu by just a deuce to take the current top spot.
If Kaya FC will be able to sweep all their remaining matches, they will immediately head into the playoffs as the league’s no.1 team.