Kaya vs. Global; Makati vs. Cebu

It’s too bad that the game between Global Cebu and Ceres Negros this Saturday has been canceled. That makes it two straight weekends that there will be no PFL game here. I guess it’s a welcome break, too, for the local organizing committee and the much-maligned (by some visitors) gets some R and R.

I wonder if the PFL will release a new schedule or will just add the two postponed matches—against Meralco and Ceres—at the end of the season. If that happens and the close fight among the top four teams remains, then that could mean the title could be determined in the final two home matches for Global, which is a plus.

Aside from the two, one team I’m looking forward to visiting is Kaya FC, which, like Cebu, is getting some flak for the state of its field by picky visitors. UMak is Kaya FC’s home field and before, the UFL, the country’s former top flight, used to be played there but it is now deemed unplayable by some.

A little bird told me that just last week, the coach of Ilocos threatened not to play because of a patch of uneven field. One player from Ilocos also threatened to do the same but thankfully the team owner managed to change their mind. The owner even apologized, according to my source, for their coach’s behavior.

That reminds me of the criticism Cebu got for the state of the field in Global’s first home match. One writer even said he almost rolled his ankle while walking the field. I rolled my eyes on that one; I’ve walked that field at its worst, I’ve seen players give their all at its worst, no one got injured.

Anyway, that’s water under the bridge.

I’m excited to see Kaya because it may not be the most well-funded team in the PFL, it has the richest history. I think it was Kaya that first ended the AFP teams’monopoly of the PFF Men’s Open national championship back in 2005, and the guy who figured prominently then was one Aly Borromeo, a striker at that time. If memory serves me right, that was the last national open the PFF had.

The next time I would hear of Kaya was when the UFL came to town, a league that would soon have big spenders like Ceres, Global and Meralco.

Fans love to talk about a Ceres vs. Global rivalry, because of the historical aspects of a Bacolod vs. Cebu rivalry in sports, but for me, I think a Makati vs. Cebu rivalry could be one that could define the league in the future.

P.S. Transfer news. By the way, I made a mistake when I said in a previous column that Kaya’s Miguel Tanton was transferring to Davao. Josue Jimlang, Kaya’s media officer, pointed that out and in fairness to Davao, they only confirmed the transfer of Matt Hartmann and Nick O’Donnel.

I’m excited to see Kaya because it may not be the most well-funded team in the PFL, it has the richest history. I think it was Kaya that first ended the AFP team’s monopoly of the PFF Men’s Open national champs in 2005... MATT DAMON