Dolen Omurzakov Stadium —  A different challenge awaited Kaya FC-Iloilo in their second AFC Women’s Champions League Preliminary Stage match, taking on Phnom Penh Crown with both sides looking to take another step toward the next round. Kaya would have to weather a strong start from their opponents before finding their rhythm—and ultimately running away with a 5–1 victory.

Phnom Penh Crown enjoyed more possession in the opening stages, putting Kaya FC-Iloilo’s defensive shape to the test as the Cambodian side looked to dictate the tempo. Kaya looked to be direct when they won the ball back, but struggled at first to string together the passes needed to turn those transitions into sustained attacks. As the half wore on, however, those connections began to come together.

Kaya’s pressing began to cause problems, too. In the 22nd minute, Maye Mendaño chased the ball all the way back to the Crown goalkeeper, nearly forcing a costly turnover in the process. Ten minutes later, that pressure finally paid off.

Kaya won the ball high up the pitch after the Crown struggled to play out from a goal kick. Alex Carpio pounced on a loose touch on the left flank, and the entire Kaya front line sprang into action. The ball was worked centrally to the edge of the box, where Jysabella Tolentino laid it off to Marissa Vasquez, who slipped Inday Tolentin through on the right. The forward made no mistake, smashing a powerful finish over the goalkeeper to put Kaya ahead.

The Crown had their own opportunities before the break. Their captain Miki curled a left-footed effort narrowly wide after a quick counter in the 38th minute, before their striker Rekha rose unmarked to meet a cross from the right four minutes later, sending her header over the bar. 

The teams traded quick attacking sequences through the closing stages, but Kaya carried their 1–0 lead into halftime.

The second half began with Kaya looking increasingly comfortable in possession, combining short and long passes to work their way into the final third. The Crown continued to threaten on the counter, however, and eventually found a way through in the 57th minute.

A high switch moved the ball from the left flank across the penalty area, before a layoff into the center found their captain Miki crashing into the box to level the match at 1–1.

Kaya’s response was immediate. 

Just four minutes later, Janae DeFazio picked out Vasquez on a curling run from the halfway line. She seemed to gather speed with every step, tearing down the left flank, outpacing the Crown’s defensive line and carrying the ball all the way to the six-yard box before calmly slotting it past the goalkeeper.

Kaya had retaken the lead, and they were not about to give it back.

Carpio rattled the crossbar with a long-range strike in the 70th minute, and in the ensuing scramble, the ball fell to Vasquez once again. Her follow-up shot from beyond the penalty area took a deflection and found the back of the net, completing her brace and extending Kaya’s advantage to 3–1.

The Crown continued to search for a way back, and in the 76th minute, Miki nearly gave them one. Her long-range effort drifted toward the top right corner, but Yasmin Elauria launched herself full stretch to swat the ball away and keep Kaya’s two-goal lead intact.

Then came Kaya’s game changers, taking over the closing stages and putting the result beyond doubt.

In the 84th minute, Sarahgen Tulabing sent a slightly overhit long ball forward for Cam Rodriguez, who chased it down at full speed and kept it in just before it crossed the line for a goal kick. Rodriguez sent it back into the box for Maegan Alforque, who kept the attack alive with a cutback into the path of Tulabing. She made no mistake, driving a low left-footed strike into the bottom right corner for Kaya’s fourth of the day.

Four minutes later, Tulabing was at it again.

She pounced on a shallow clearance in the box, took a touch beyond a sliding defender and fired between two defenders and the goalkeeper to complete her own brace and cap Kaya’s second-half blitz.

What began as a test of Kaya’s defensive shape became a showcase of their ability to grow into a match, find their rhythm and overwhelm an opponent once they found it. Inday Tolentin opened the scoring, Vasquez’s brace restored and strengthened Kaya’s lead, before Tulabing and the game changers put the finishing touches on a dominant second half as the Philippine champions pulled away.

One final test remains. Hong Kong’s TSL FC awaits, and a place on the biggest stage is there for the taking.

Goals: Tolentin ‘32; Vasquez ‘61, 70; Tulabing ‘84, ‘88

Starting Lineup: 4-3-3

LF: Carpio  ST: Tolentino  RF: Tolentin

CM: Mendaño  CDM: Cadag©  CM: Vasquez

LB: DeFazio  CB: Yoshida  CB: Chan  RB: Fontamillas

GK: Elauria

Subs: Pido, Hulleza, Rodriguez, Cuenco, Tanjangco, Alforque, Lemoran, Onrubia, Sotto, Tulabing, Altiche

Coach David Basa’s five substitutions this match were:

• Sarahgen Tulabing and Cam Rodriguez came on for Shelah Cadag and Jysabella Tolentino in the 64th minute.
• Joyce Onrubia and Maegan Alforque replaced Maye Mendaño and Alex Carpio in the 76th minute. 
• Lastly, Dani Tanjangco checked in for Marissa Vasquez in the 90th minute to close the game out.

Cam Rodriguez made her way into the referee’s book, receiving a yellow card in the 66th minute.