UFL: Kaya comes from behind against a spirited Navy F.C.

Kaya F.C. moved into a share of the top spot in the leaderboard, rallying to beat a feisty Philippine Navy F.C. 2-1, last Sunday at the University of Makati field, in the 2012 United Football League. 

 

Despite some early domination by Kaya, with Joshua Beloya looking particularly dangerous,  it was Navy who took the lead at the 21st minute with Marlon Piñero playing a perfectly timed through pass for Vaughn Mellendrez. 

 

Kaya didn’t stay behind for long though, as Beloya latched onto a Burkey through ball to poke the ball past the keeper and finish into the empty net before half-time.

 

After the break Kaya stepped up a notch as Prince Boley smartly turned in the area and gave himself a great chance, before being called back by the offside flag. Lexton Moy, instrumental in the Kaya midfield, then set up Joshua Beloya but his snapshot went just wide. 

 

Jonah Romero also had a solid game on Kaya’s wings and he showed some of the best skill of the game turning past one defender, bursting past the next and weaving inside another to shoot, though his final effort at goal didn’t test the keeper.

 

Kaya had a penalty shot turned down however, when Joshua Beloya was taken out in the box, but the referee deemed the challenge was shoulder to shoulder. The ball then found its way to the Navy’s right side where Mark Villon was knocked over by Eric Dagroh in a similar challenge, though the referee gave a free-kick this time, incensing the crowd. 

 

Soon after Navy capitulated, when a seemingly innocuous backpass was misjudged by substitute keeper Jimmy Dimzon and Eric Dagroh raced onto the ball, turned the last covering defender and fired the ball low past Dimzon who had almost recovered his position. 

 

Kaya failed to extend their lead when Beloya headed wide unchallenged from a free-kick though they saw out the game to importantly claim the three points. 

 

Following his first goal in the league, Joshua Beloya said that “it was a physical and intensive game. My first goal in the league feels good but it’s important the team won”. Asked about Kaya’s chances of winning the league he noted the upcoming one month break and emphasized that “preparation is important. We have to prepare more after the break to prepare for Stallions”. 

 

A tantalizing fixture between the two clubs at the top of the league another important figure will be Lexton Moy who held the midfield tight the whole game. Not impressed by the result Moy said that “We’ll take the win… hopefully we can start finishing the chances to really show on paper what we can do.” Cautious of looking too far ahead he added “it’s too early to tell [what our chances are of winning the league]. There are a lot of good teams… but to win the league is the goal and we’ll take it one game at a time.”

 

Though both the Stallions and Kaya are tied in the win-loss department, the former are the hot team as of late, with dominant 4-1 victories over reigning UFL champions Philippine Air Force Phoenix and a favored Loyola Meralco Sparks. The Stallions sport a +12 goal differential, and are as of writing, the only team with double-digit goals scored. — AD/RSJ, GMA News