Kaya FC-Iloilo is on the cusp of group stage qualification of the 2026-27 AFC Women’s Champions League (ACWL), hitting their second straight preliminary round game, 5-1, against Cambodian champ Phnom Penh Crown (PPC) on Thursday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
After a 1-1 scare early in the second half, Kaya responded with four consecutive goals with US beach soccer national team player Marissa Vasquez and current PFF Women’s League (PWL) Best Midfielder Sarahgen Tulabing scoring their respective braces.
Coming off a 6-0 win against host FC Ilbirs last Monday, Kaya has amassed six points coming to their final Group B showdown against Hong Kong champion TSL, where former PWL Golden Boot Isabella Bandoja and Filipina5 standout Lanie Ortillo play.
After a number of erratic balls to the final third, Kaya found their offensive groove with a high press interception in the 32nd minute, quickly building up for an Inday Tolentin goal from the right flank off Vasquez’s assist.
However, PPC equalized in the 58th minute, with the Japanese duo of Airi Kuroki and Miki Ichikawa connecting inside the box–the latter scoring off the former’s chipped pass from the right wing.
“We started a little bit slow but since the water break, I talked to the players that they can do better and they have to believe in themselves. Then, in return, they played well, they believed in themselves, they made good passes, simple passes until we scored. Then, second half, good efforts especially from our game changers who changed the game,” said Kaya head coach David Basa.
That was when Vasquez, who scored against Ilbirs, made a blistering solo run just pass the left centerline, going past three PPC defenders and beating goalkeeper Chea Fariya for the go-ahead goal in the 61st minute.
Vasquez braced nine minutes later, thumping in a 19-yard goal off Tolentin’s back pass.
“[I’m] just really happy that we had to make adjustments but we kept working together and fighting and we got the result we’ve been hoping for,” Vasquez said, thanking Kaya for giving her the opportunity to play in the just concluded PWL and AWCL.
Come the 75th minute, Tulabing, a defensive midfielder recruited from the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws and also a Filipina5 member, came in the game together with La Salle recruit Maegan Alforque and veteran Camille Rodriguez and shot a dangerous outside shot that was saved by Fariya in the 84th minute.
But Tulabing repeated her shots from the same area on top of the penalty box and goaled twice.
In the 85th minute, Tulabing repayed Rodriguez’s sprint to recover the ball on the right baseline, crossing to Alforque who passed back to Tulabing for a 4-1 lead.
Tulabing repeated in the 88th minute, punishing Fariya’s weak leg clearance of Rodriguez’s right cross for her brace.
The winner-take-all game for the lone ticket to the group stage between Kaya and TSL will take place on August 23, Sunday, at 6 PM (Philippine time).
(Photo from AFC)
