Rizal Memorial Stadium — Kaya FC–Iloilo opened their 2026/27 Philippines Football League season with a 3–1 victory over Azkals Development Club, with Martini Rey’s first-half brace setting the tone before Jaime Rosquillo added a decisive third in the final action of the match.

With new head coach Bobae Park at the helm and nine players making their Kaya debuts, including four in the starting lineup, Kaya began the campaign with a side still finding its bearings. Across from them, Azkals Development Club (formerly CF Manila) were reintroducing themselves to the top flight of Philippine football.

From the opening whistle, the men in black looked the more settled of the two sides, taking control of possession and pushing forward in search of an early breakthrough. 

Martini Rey opened the scoring in the seventh minute, showing remarkable patience inside the penalty area to make the most of a long ball from Mar Diano. The delivery bounced through a crowd of players and into the striker’s path, and after a composed turn to create just enough space, he picked out the bottom-right corner.

Kaya continued to apply pressure, building patiently and cutting off most of ADC’s attacks before they could reach the final third. Diano thought he had doubled the lead just two minutes later, meeting Seong-Jin Kim’s free kick at the far post, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Justin Peña was central to Kaya’s next spell of pressure, creating two chances in quick succession. In the 18th minute, the midfielder redirected a low, vertical pass that cut through the middle of the pitch into the path of Fitch Arboleda, whose effort went wide. A minute later, Peña played Rey through on goal, only for the striker’s effort to be saved.

Despite creating several openings, the Iloilo side could not add to their advantage as ADC gradually found their footing and began to threaten on the counter. A turnover in the 29th minute gave the opposition an opportunity to break, but Eric Esso halted the attack with a professional foul on Stephan Schrock, earning a yellow card in the process.

Shamsudeen Natogma was called into action twice in quick succession shortly after, punching away high balls that threatened the Kaya penalty area. He could not make clean contact with the second, but ADC’s Earl Pinero was unable to take advantage, sending his effort wide with the goalkeeper off his line.

Kaya responded by doubling their advantage before an equalizer could be found, with Rey finding the net again in the 35th minute.

The move began with Sebastian Avanzini threading a pass through a gap between two defenders to find Arboleda in stride, who carried the ball forward into the final third before pulling it back and waiting for support. Seong-Jin Kim arrived on the overlap up the left side, before painting the six yard line with a cross—beyond the reach of the goalkeeper—with Rey on hand to tap home decisively.

However, ADC responded almost immediately, pulling one back just a minute later. A mishit header fell into Pinero’s path, and the forward carried the ball toward goal, his shot taking a deflection that sent it into the net to reduce the deficit.

The remainder of the half grew increasingly physical, with both sides trading chances before the interval. The intensity continued after the restart, and neither side was willing to give an inch. Kaya’s two-goal cushion had been cut to one, and they looked to keep the game within their control as ADC pushed for a way back.

The feathered men increasingly looked to disrupt Kaya’s rhythm, turning the second half into a more frantic and physical affair. Kaya absorbed the pressure and continued to fight for every ball, refusing to let ADC’s growing urgency develop into a clear opening.

Kaya’s best chances of the half came from set pieces. Antoine Ortega, one of five debutants introduced from the bench, twice tested ADC goalkeeper Hay with free kicks in the 68th and 82nd minutes. Both strikes curled toward the top-left corner, but Hay was equal to each effort, denying Ortega a goal on his first appearance for the club.

Instead, Ortega would have his say in a different way.

Deep into added time, the fullback-turned-winger delivered an inswinging corner toward the near post, where fellow debutant Jaime Rosquillo rose highest to head the ball home. The Barotac Nuevo native marked his first appearance for Kaya with a goal on the final play of the match, putting the result beyond doubt at the death.

It was not yet the same assured performance Kaya have produced in recent seasons, with a new-look squad still finding its rhythm and nine players making their Kaya debuts. Even so, they showed enough composure and character to see out the result and begin the new campaign with three points.

Kaya now turn their attention to Tuloy, with the two sides set to meet on Saturday.

Goals: Rey ‘7, ‘35; Rosquillo ‘90+9

Starting Lineup: 4-3-3

LF: Arboleda  ST: Rey  RF: Melliza© 

CM: Peña  CDM: Avanzini  CM: Esso

LB: Kim  CB: Casambre  CB: Menzi  RB: Diano

GK: Natogma

Subs: Bencio, Guimarães, Ortega, Verza, Valderama, Na, Rosquillo, Alipoon

On top of the four newcomers inserted in the starting lineup, five players made their debuts off the bench for Coach Bobae Park:

• At halftime Antoine Ortega and Marc Alipoon checked in for Jhan Melliza and Sebastian Avanzini. 
• Chris Valderama replaced Fitch Arboleda in the 59th minute, but his debut was cut short after he suffered an injury.
• Gabriel Guimarães came on for Valderama shortly after in the 63rd minute.
• Lastly, Jaime Rosquillo checked in for Mar Diano in the 86th minute to close the game out. 

Eric Esso and Sebastian Avanzini both found their way into the referee’s book, receiving yellow cards in the 29th and 44th minutes, respectively.