Kaya booters survive Navy side, share lead

MANILA, Philippines - Kaya FC came back from a goal deficit to turn back upset-conscious Philippine Navy Red Juice, 2-1, to seize a share of the lead with the Stallion Gilligan’s FC in the First Division of the United Football League at the University of Makati field over the weekend.

Probably playing complacent with knowledge that they’re unbeaten and pitted against a winless side, the LBC-backed Kaya booters felt a major jolt after striker Vaughn Mellendrez, who formerly played for Smart San Beda, rammed in a goal on the 21st minute when no one is looking to give the Navymen an early 1-0 lead.

That’s when Kaya, mentored by locally based Spanish coach Juan Cutillas, woke up and slowly but surely clawed its way back that started when striker Joshua Beloya, formerly of Second Division team Bacolod FC and member of the Azkals’ under-23 team that saw action in last year’s Indonesia Southeast Asian Games, nailed a goal eight minutes later to knot the count at one apiece.

With the game tied, Ivory Coast’s Eric Dagroh came to Kaya’s rescue and broke the tie with a rocket-like goal on the 71st minute that decided the match and sent the title favorites to their third straight win and into a tie at the helm with Stallion with nine points apiece.

“We’re on track but its just the start and we haven’t faced some of the best teams in the league yet,” said Cutillas.

Kaya, however, will have its hands full when it faces equally dangerous, Phil and James Younghusband-led Loyola Meralco Sparks on the main game of Saturday’s offering at the Rizal Memorial pitch.

“That’s a big test, that game against Loyola,” said Cutillas.

The Navymen fell to their second loss and remained with just a point after their 1-1 deadlock with Nomads Auction Manila a couple of weeks back.

The late goal by the 22-year-old Dagroh was his second after nailing Kaya’s only goal in a 1-0 win over defending league and Cup champion Phl Air Force Phoenix in the opener last Jan. 14.

Dagroh ties Fil-Am midfielder Lexton Moy, who struck with two in a 2-1 edging of the Hans Smith-coached Green Archers United last week while Beloya nailed his first goal since joining Kaya this year.