Phl Football League kicks off inaugural season

Matches today (University of Makati Stadium) 4 p.m. – Kaya FC Makati vs Ceres Negros FC (Biñan Stadium) 4 p.m. – Stallion Laguna FC vs FC Meralco Manila

The long wait for a truly nationwide, fully professional league finally is over as the Philippines Football League (PFL) opens shop today with a pair of explosive matches.

Kaya FC Makati hosts AFC Cup Zonal semifinal qualifier Ceres Negros FC at the University of Makati Stadium while Stallion Laguna FC plays home in the other game versus FC Meralco Manila over at Biñan Stadium in Laguna.

Both fixtures kick off at 4 p.m. with only the Kaya-Ceres duel aired live on PTV.

The four other pioneer clubs make their debut Sunday with Ilocos United facing Davao Aguilas at Quirino Stadium in Ilocos Sur at 4 p.m. and JPV Marikina battling AFC Cup Asean semifinalist Global Cebu at Marikina Complex at 7 p.m.

“It’s an honor to play in the first match in the PFL and we’re going to put the best show as much as we can against Ceres,” said Kaya general manager Paul Tolentino, whose team is out for redemption after a disappointing campaign in the old United Football League last year.

On the other side are the Busmen, who hit the field buoyed by their 4-2 away win over Tampines Rovers in Singapore last Wednesday that clinched for them a berth in the AFC KO stage.

“We hardly had time to enjoy the big result (in the AFC Cup) as we have to focus on this game against Kaya,” said Ceres coach Risto Vidakovic, who has at his disposal several Azkals mainstays and the AFC Cup’s leading scorer Bienvenido Marañón.

Meanwhile, Stallion, a team led by former national Balot Doctora, Fitch Arboleda and new signing Janjan Melliza, tests the Phil and James Younghusband of Meralco in the first PFL game in Laguna.