When Kaya-Iloilo represented the Philippines in the group stage of the 2024–25 AFC Women’s Champions League, the team featured five active student-athletes from the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Women’s Football Tournament and the head coach from back-to-back defending champion Far Eastern University.
Coach Let Dimzon, Season 86 MVP Inday Tolentin, defenders Janly Fontamillas and Lyla Cuenco, goalkeeper Yasmin Elauria, and midfielder Sarahgen Tulabing took on formidable opponents, including Australia’s Melbourne City, Iran’s Bam Khatoon, and Thailand’s College of Asian Scholars at the Pathum Thani Stadium.
Kaya-Iloilo secured draws against Bam Khatoon and the College of Asian Scholars but suffered a 4-0 defeat to Melbourne City in their final match. While the dream of advancing to the knockout stage fell short, the team’s performance marked a historic and commendable run, showcasing Philippine football on an international stage.
“It’s a good experience no,” said Dimzon. “So first, inaugural AFC championship and then yung result namin, successful ung campaign namin sa AFC. I think ito ung magiging eye-opener with all the club teams na nandito sa Pilipinas na may chance tayo.
“But again we just need to continue yung program, not only yung program with the teams, but yung binibigay ng PFF ng competition because we need a lot of games. I think may chance tayo dun so kailangan lang dun is yung preparation dahil since very late na yung tournament. Pero kung nagkaroon pa tayo ng mahaba pang preparations, I think magiging maganda yung result ng games.”
(C) Pam Puri/Tiebreaker Times
The five FEU booters gained invaluable experience by training and competing alongside notable teammates, including 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup squad members Hali Long and Anicka Castañeda, 2022 AFF Women’s Championship gold medalists Inna Palacios and Maya Alcantara, and former national team player Sara Castañeda, who scored a key penalty that helped the Philippines qualify for the World Cup.
This exposure to prominent UAAP alumnae offered the young athletes important lessons to incorporate into their burgeoning careers.
“Parang pinakamalaki pong achievement para sa akin makasama and World Cup players at maging teammates sila,” said Cuenco. “Tapos, ang isa pang achievement ko ay nakita ko yung mga players ng ibang bansa and may matutunan ka rin.
“First is discipline: sobrang disiplinado na po nilang lahat sa food and time. Yung second po, inside the field, talagang compose po sila and the way na nakipag-communicate po sila outside the field is sobrang matured at kasama na rin yung displina and the way sila individually mag-lead inside and outside the field.”
“Actually, first time yung Thailand camp kase namin,” said Fontamillas. “Lucky po kase nakasama ko po yung players na magagaling, sila Ate Hali, sila Maya, yung mga (naglaro) sa World Cup sa backline. Marami po ako natutunan sa kanila, especially kay Ate Inna and sa mga player din sa loob tinulungan po nila ako. Marami po ako natutunan.”
“Siguro po talaga, yung discipline and pag-command (and madadala ko galing sa AFC),” said Tulabing.
For Tolentin, this AFC Women’s Champions League marked her second major international campaign, following her participation in the Pinatar Cup last year. The key difference this time was the presence of familiar faces, especially Dimzon, who instilled the same principles in Kaya-Iloilo as those at FEU.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Same lang naman po sa Kaya and FEU,” said Tolentin.
“Yung intensity, kung hindi pa time, kung di pa end of the time ng play, kailangan talaga kung ano yung una mong pinakita ko from the start na nag-whistle, hanggang sa huli, yun din yung intensity na ipapakita mo.”
This Season 87, FEU aims to secure a third consecutive championship, a feat they last achieved in Seasons 75–77.
For the five Lady Tamaraws, being part of Kaya-Iloilo’s AFC Women’s Champions League campaign will contribute to their growth as players.
The challenge now lies in applying their learnings as they defend their title.
“I think it’s a good exposure for them, yung ganung klase na level, and then kung madadala nila talaga sa UAAP, I think malaking bagay yun,” said Dimzon.
“I think kailangan talaga mag-mature sila sa game. Kailangan matuto sila magbasa ng games, espcially sa mga tactical adjustments, dahil yun yung naging problem namin during the time na naglaro kami against Melbourne, yung papano naming siguro nahandle yung pressure from the first 10 minutes.”
