Kaya stuns Air Force in UFL opener

MANILA, Philippines - LBC-backed Kaya FC leaned on an early goal by Ivory Coast’s Eric Dagroh and then hung tough the rest of the way to eke out a 1-0 win over reigning league and Cup champion Air Force Phoenix to set in motion its title bid in the United Football League competition before a huge weekend crowd at the Rizal Memorial football pitch.

Dagroh, a 22-year-old midfielder who plied his trade in India and Thailand before suiting up with Kaya, set the tone early as he tapped in a missed header by Japanese Masanari Omura off a cross from Liberian Prince Boley right four minutes into the match.

It turned out the one and only goal for the match as Kaya, which finished fourth in the UFL Cup late last year, made up for several missed chances by coming out solid enough in defense to snare the first win, good for three points, of the first Division One game of the UFL tournament patterned after the English Premiership.

“I think we blew a lot of chances but we made up for it after I put some fresh legs in the second half,” said Kaya’s locally based Spanish coach Juan Cutillas.

The bittersweet victory somehow erased the stigma of its 4-5 semifinal defeat at the hands of the Loyola Meralco Sparks in a game they practically blew after leading by 3-0 after the first half.

“It was a relief to finally win this, it takes away the monkey off our backs and we knew this game will set the tone for our campaign,” said Anton del Rosario, Kaya’s co-captain in place of injured skipper Aly Borromeo.

It was the second win by Kaya, now sponsored by LBC Hari ng Padala under the leadership of UFL chair Santy Araneta, after it dealt the Airmen their only loss last year.

In the nightcap, the Loyola Meralco Sparks leaned on a couple of first half goals by Phil Younghusband and fended off a late charge by Green Archers United to pull off a 3-2 triumph to join Kaya FC at the helm.