Defending champion Kaya-Iloilo and United City FC square off in a potential preview of the final Monday, March 28 in the Copa Paulino Alcantara at the PFF National Training Centre in Carmona, Cavite.
The marquee matchup is set at 7 p.m. as the country’s representatives in AFC club competitions look to flaunt their talent-laden squads in the Copa’s first doubleheader.
The Azkals Development Team finally make its debut at 4 p.m. against Mendiola FC 1991, which will seek to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat to Maharlika-Manila last March 21.
Kaya returns to action after a two-week layoff with an aim at putting up a better performance after its 1-0 victory over Maharlika on Daizo Horikoshi’s early second half goal.
United City opened its own campaign last Thursday also against Maharlika, albeit in a convincing 4-0 win behind first half goals from new signings Alan Robertson, Ricky Sendra and Ivan Ouano.
It will mark the first meeting between the two clubs since Nov. 2020 when Kaya won 2-1 to prevent United City from capping off its Philippines Football League title run by winning all five matches.
That result was also part of Kaya’s current unbeaten run of 10 straight matches on the domestic front.
Also serving as a subplot is former Kaya midfielder Kenshiro Daniels, who recently signed with United City moments before the transfer deadline.