Kaya-Iloilo launches its title-retention bid against returning Maharlika-Manila Monday, March 14 in the start of the Copa Paulino Alcantara at the PFF National Training Centre in Carmona, Cavite.
The reigning holders are favored to claim the maximum three points in the 5 p.m. match against Maharlika, back after skipping last year’s edition of the cup competition.
Rust will probably be a non-issue for Kaya since it is coming off a 5-0 defeat to Sydney FC in the qualifying round of the AFC Champions League.
But coach Yu Hoshide said cohesion remains a work in progress after Kaya made big additions in former Azkals Development Team players Jarvey Gayoso, Sandro Reyes, Oskari Kekkonen and Mar Diano.
Senegalese striker Robert Lopez Mendy and Jesse Curran were also the major signings Kaya made in a bid to retain the Copa crown.
“We’re facing really good competition so we cannot relax,” said Hoshide.
Maharlika sees action for the first time since its maiden appearance in 2020 when it finished fifth among six clubs in the shortened Philippines Football League season.
Brothers Ojay, Gino and Miggy Clarino are some of the new additions for Maharlika, which hopes to produce an upset result against Kaya.
The club also retained some of the holdovers from 2020 in Charlie Beaton, MJ Libre, Chris Lawless and David Basa.
“We have a bunch of players out there wanting to prove something,” said Maharlika owner Anton del Rosario. “And this is why Maharlika is gonna be a team to watch out for because we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
The lone match of the kickoff to the domestic league season will be shown via livestream on the official Facebook and YouTube pages of the PFL.