Kaya-Iloilo fought valiantly, but it just wasn’t meant to be.
In a battle between two champion teams, Kaya lost 1-2 against the reigning J1 League champion Yokohama in the 2023-2024 AFC Champions League on Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
The reigning Philippines Football League champions suffered their fourth successive loss in Group G, which eliminated them from qualifying for the next round.
Daizo Horikoshi’s equalizer in the 39th minute was the lone highlight for Kaya amidst a difficult evening.
“For me I finally got the score and I really want to get it. I really want to help the team but we are disappointed because we really want to get the point. We’re really a good thing but we have to run more,” said Horikoshi.
F Marinos’s Yuhi Murakami opened the floodgates for the visitors in the 26th minute, while substitute Yan Matheus Souza broke the home side’s hearts in the 87th minute.
To make matters worse for Kaya, substitute Robert Lopez Mendy was dismissed in the 82nd minute after a VAR check by referee Ammar Ashkanani of Kuwait.
“We got a good experience to this game. So, the most important is to remember this experience and we try our best in every single day,” said Horikoshi.
Kaya-Iloilo will face Shandong Taishan on November 28 at 8 p.m. at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium in China.
On the other hand, Yokohama rose to the first spot in Group G with 9 points, thanks to three successive wins.
Yokohama will travel to South Korea to face Incheon United on November 28 at 6 p.m. at the Sungui Arena Park.
Kaya XI: Kammeraad (GK), Saito, Casambre, Baas, Gayoso, Horikoshi, Sendra, Arboled ©, Rota, Menzi, Sy.
Yokohama Marinos XI: Watanabe, Kida ©, Inoue, Mizunuma, Iikura (GK), Yoshio, Matsubara, Nishimura, Sakakibara, Murakami, Sugimoto.
