Rizal Memorial Stadium — Kaya FC-Iloilo delivered a dominant opening day performance, kicking off the 2025/26 Philippines Football League season with a 12–0 victory over Philippine Army FC.
It took just 12 minutes for the defending champions to get off the mark. Jhan Melliza picked out fellow Ilonggo Jovin Bedic at the edge of the box for a low left-footed strike that opened the scoring for the new season. Another 12 minutes later, Mike Ott received a through ball from Shuto Komaki, drove through the Army defense, and fired the ball past the keeper to open his Kaya account.
Bedic later forced a handball in the penalty area, and in the 36th minute, the newly-appointed captain Melliza coolly converted from the spot for Kaya’s third. Ott then bagged a second goal in the 42nd after whipping in a cross to Komaki, who overshot his approach, scrambled to recover, and cheekily laid it back for Mike to tap home. Kaya carried a commanding 4–0 lead into the break, having also rattled the crossbar multiple times in the opening stages.
The floodgates opened even wider in the second half, beginning with Kenshiro Daniels reintroducing himself in the 62nd minute. Surrounded by three white shirts in the penalty area, he showed remarkable composure to slot one home in his comeback match. Daniels then assisted Shuto Komaki in the 70th, the two combining well in the box to net the reigning MVP his first goal of the season—quickly followed by his second just three minutes later after another slick exchange between the two.
Komaki then turned provider in the 82nd minute—receiving a clever backheel from Paolo Bugas before sending in a cross for Martini Rey to finish. Defender Mar Diano added his name to the scoresheet just two minutes later with a strike from inside the box, before Melliza pounced in the 86th on a spilled ball to secure his brace.
There was still time for the captains to connect, with Jhanjhan finding Audie Menzi unmarked in the box to make it 11–0 in the 88th minute. Fittingly, the final word belonged to Melliza, who latched onto an incisive pass from Bugas, aided by a clever dummy from Daniels, to complete his hat trick in stoppage time.
A dozen goals from eight different scorers on opening day sent a resounding message: Kaya’s title defense is well and truly underway.
Starting Lineup: 4-3-3
LF: Komaki ST: Bedic RF: Melliza©
CM: Ott CDM: Zambrano CM: Esso
LB: Arboleda CB: Yamazaki CB: Casambre RB: Diano
GK: Cortez
Subs: Bata, Angeles, Daniels, Rota, Basindanan, Bugas, Menzi, Rey
Coach Yu Hoshide utilized six substitutions in the opening match:
- Triple change at halftime: Kenshiro Daniels, Simone Rota, and Paolo Bugas checked in for Jovin Bedic, Marco Casambre, and Eric Esso.
- Marwin Angeles and Martini Rey came on for debutants Mike Ott and Brandon Zambrano in the 69th minute.
- Lastly, Audie Menzi relieved Fitch Arboleda in the 86th minute.
