Stallion tie stalls Kaya’s AFC slot bid

KAYA’S bid for an AFC Cup berth next season suffered a blow after it settled for a 2-2 draw with Stallion in an enthralling United Football League clash Sunday at Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Joven Bedic and Louis Clark put Kaya on top in each half, but Stallion fought back through goals from Nathan Alquiros and Fitch Arboleda as the two teams settled for a point each.

The draw still leaves Kaya at fifth spot with 25 points from 14 matches, 13 points behind leader Global FC. Kaya played in the AFC Cup early this year as a reward for winning the 2015 UFL Cup.

But with Global winning this year’s edition, coach Chris Greatwich’s charges had no recourse but to win the league or finish second and hope that Global wins the league title to book a place in the continental competition.

Qualification to the AFC Cup now seems a longshot after Sunday’s game, where Bedic opened the scoring with a 22nd minute volley only to be cancelled out by Alquiros’ well-struck effort from an acute angle five minutes before halftime.

Clark’s effort in the 55th minute put Kaya back on top only for Arboleda to equalize with a diving header three minutes later.

Green Archers scored a 4-0 win over Laos in the earlier kickoff.

A brace from Reynaldo Villareal and goals from Chieffy Caligdong and Nam Gi-won boosted Archers to only their sixth win in 14 matches this season. 

Pushed upront after spending  the season in central defense, Villareal showed his versatility with strikes in the 25th and 37th minutes.