The path for reigning Copa Paulino Alcantara champions Kaya-Iloilo to seal entry into the 2022 AFC Champions League has gotten simpler.
The Asian Football Confederation announced that Chinese Super League side Changchun Yatai, which finished fourth in the CSL last season, has pulled out from the continent’s biggest club competition.
“Therefore, in accordance with the AFC Champions League 2022 Competition Regulations, the Playoff Stage match between Changchun Yatai FC and the winners of the Preliminary Stage tie between Australia’s Sydney FC and Kaya FC-Iloilo from the Philippines, which was scheduled to take place on March 15, 2022, has been cancelled,” read the statement.
There is no reason stated as to why Changchun decided to back out so close to their match. Nevertheless, it provides another golden opportunity for Kaya to return to the AFC Champions League as it did so last year by defeating Chinese club Shanghai Port 1-0 thanks to Audie Menzi’s 17th-minute goal.
“Consequently, the winners of the Sydney FC and Kaya FC-Iloilo Preliminary Stage tie on March 8, 2022, will receive a direct entry into Group H, where they will face two-time winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors from Korea Republic, Japan’s Yokohama F Marinos, and Vietnam’s Hoang Anh Gia Lai,” furthered the statement.
“The centralized matches for Group H are scheduled to be contested in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, from April 15 to May 1.”
However, if Kaya fails to defeat Sydney, then the LBC-backed club shall be relegated into the 2022 AFC Cup group stage, where it is poised to compete against the likes of Indonesia’s Bali United, Malaysia’s Kedah Darul Aman, and Cambodia’s Kedah Darul Aman.
These matches will be hosted in Denpasar, Indonesia.
