Kaya-Iloilo capped off a memorable year with a silverware as it edged out the Azkals Development Team, 1-0, on Friday, November 19, 2021 to capture the Copa Paulino Alcantara at the PFF National Training Centre in Carmona, Cavite.
Kenshiro Daniels scored the only goal of the final early in the second half to give Kaya its first trophy since winning the first edition of the competition named after the legendary Filipino footballer in 2018.
ADT battled hard in hopes of sending the match to extra time despite missing team captain Jarvey Gayoso due to a hamstring injury, but the developmental side was left to settle for a runner-up finish by the time the final whistle was blown.
The championship match which encountered a 20-minute delay in the first half due to power outage wrapped up two weeks of competitive football featuring five clubs that waited all year for domestic football to return amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the end, it was Kaya which savored the sweet joy of success after a busy 2021 that included a historic stint in the AFC Champions League.
Coach Yu Hoshide returned to his old role in time for the resumption of the local campaign and saw Kaya win all four matches via clean sheet.Kaya also extended its unbeaten run in domestic competition to 10 matches dating back to last year’s shortened Philippines Football League season.
The full moon may have led to unusual moments in the last match of the year, with the Carmona pitch losing electricity entering the 27th minute.
The match resumed once things got back to normal, but Kaya almost went ahead four minutes before the half when Jovin Bedic lofted a shot past Quincy Kammeraad for a potential open goal.
Defender Mar Diano made sure that Bedic would be denied by coming through with a sensational clearance near the goal line to keep the match on level terms.
ADT’s luck, however, ran out shortly after the restart when Kaya’s Simone Rota sent a high cross for Daniels, who despite being tightly defended by Diano inside the six-yard box was able to roll the ball into the net.
Replays showed that an own goal could have been given to Diano, but Daniels looked like he was the last player to flick the ball, which left Kameraad a split-second too late to react.
Diano almost redeemed himself in the 73rd but his glancing header after a free kick from the left flank sailed over the crossbar.
Promising 18-year-old midfielder Sandro Reyes, Oskari Kekonnen and Dennis Chung tried desperately in the latter minutes to give ADT the equalizer but Kaya’s backline was too determined to maintain its lead until the end.