KAYA FC-Iloilo regained the leadership of the 2022 Philippines Football League (PFL) after a 1-0 win over Azkals Development Team (ADT) on Oct. 1 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.
Robert Lopez Mendy scored his first goal of the season after a 28th minute goal. The veteran Senegalse striker beat ADT goalkeeper Julian Schwarzer with a bottom left corner goal coming from a pass by Japanese forward Daizo Horikoshi.
Kaya FC successfully bounced back from its first loss of the season, a 2-0 defeat to defending PFL champion United City FC (UCFC).
With the win, Kaya FC moves up to the top with 18 points, while Cebu dropped to second with 17 points.
Kaya FC will be in a crucial match against Cebu FC on Oct. 9, the first of the four-match home stretch for The Gentle Giants at the Dynamic Herb-Borromeo Sports Complex in Talisay City.
UCFC also closed in on Cebu FC after a 1-0 victory over Maharlika Manila FC at the Philippine Football Federation National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite.
Hikaru Minegishi scored the match’s lone goal in the 40th minute.
UCFC is now in third place with 16 points and will play against Mendiola FC 1991 before going to Cebu to face Cebu FC on Oct. 15 in an important match.
Stallion Laguna FC also got a much-needed win with a 4-0 rout of Mendiola FC 1991.
It was over in the first half after a brace by Griffin McDaniel and a goal each by Koichi Belgira and Mexican forward Juan Trujillo.
Stallion FC is at fourth with 12 points, followed by ADT at fifth with seven, Mendiola FC at sixth with three points and Maharlika FC in last place with no points.