Kaya-Iloilo’s bid for a second straight trip to the AFC Champions League group stage was thwarted after a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Sydney FC in their qualifying round match held Tuesday, March 8 at the Jubilee Stadium in Sydney, Australia.
The Copa Paulino Alcantara winners conceded the opening goal in the 30th minute before allowing the home side to add four in the second half, thus ending their hopes of another stint in Asia’s premier club competition.
With the loss, Kaya was relegated to the second-tier AFC Cup where it is already assured of a spot in Group G along with Malaysia’s Kedah Darul Aman, Cambodia’s Visakha and Indonesia’s Bali United which will serve as host.
Kaya’s defeat also meant that United City will be lone Filipino club in the ACL after being drawn in Group G as a direct entry.
Sydney secured a place in the Champions League where it will face South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Japan’s Yokohama F Marinos and Vietnam’s Hoang Anh Gia Lia in Group H next month in Ho Chi Minh City.
Amid wet conditions brought by the heavy downpour throughout the day in one of Australia’s biggest cities, Kaya kept the game until the half-hour mark when Trent Buhagiar scored after goalkeeper Zach Banzon saved an attempt by Kosta Barbarouses.
The second half didn’t start the way Kaya wanted as Sydney doubled the lead through Brazilian midfielder Bobo, two minutes into the restart.
Fitch Arboleda then fouled Rhyan Grant inside the penalty area moments later before Bobo struck his second goal from the spot in the 49th for 3-0 Sydney.
Adam Le Fondre put himself on the scoreboard by finding the back of the net twice in the 71st and 81st to settle the final count for Sydney.
Kaya tried to end the match with a consolation goal but Robert Lopez Mendy’s attempt off Daizo Horikoshi’s sailed above the crossbar in the 86th while Jhan-Jhan Melliza’s low attempt off a counter attack went off the far post.