Daizo Horikoshi is delighted to finally make a significant impact for Kaya-Iloilo with his fine performance in the group stage of the Copa Paulino Alcantara.
The Japanese winger scored twice while also having the same number of assists during the competition which saw Kaya produced wins over the Azkals Development Team and Mendiola FC 1991.
Horikoshi flashed a wide grin after getting the distinction as the first player to score in the competition while also finding the back of the net for the first time in a Kaya shirt.
That goal came in Kaya’s 2-0 win over the Azkals Development Team in the opener on November 7, 2021 when Horikoshi tapped in Audie Menzi’s cross in the 54th minute to break the ice.
“Super, super happy,” the 25-year-old Kanagawa native said after being named Man of the Match.
“We couldn’t play well in the first half. But I’m really happy that we were able to fix the problems and got the three points.”
Horikoshi signed with Kaya in Feb. 2020 after playing scoring eight goals in 23 appearances for Singapore Premier League side Albirex Niigata the previous year.
But chances were begging for Horikoshi, who didn’t score in eight matches for Kaya in the AFC Cup and the Philippines Football League season in 2020.
The breakthrough goal also eluded him last July when Kaya competed in the prestigious AFC Champions League for the first time.
He would add another to his goal tally in Kaya’s 6-0 thrashing of Mendiola three days later, making him one of the players to watch in the semifinal match against Dynamic Herb Cebu.