#ACL 2023 Preview: @ Yokohama F. Marinos

 Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN) vs Kaya FC-Iloilo (PHI)

Wednesday, October 3, 2023 | Kickoff at 6:00 PM (PST) 
Nissan Football Stadium, Japan

Yokohama, Japan — It’s out of the frying pan and into the continental fire, as Kaya FC-Iloilo prepares to undertake one of the biggest challenges in the club’s history: an away AFC Champions League fixture visiting the reigning Japanese champions, Yokohama F. Marinos. 

 

Undeterred by the previous two results, Head Coach Colum Curtis touched on his squad’s excitement for tomorrow’s match and their expanding experience playing up to the level of Asia’s top flight.  

“It’s a game that we’re looking forward to as a team and as a club. It’s a great honor to come and play against Yokohama on this big stage,” Coach Colum stated. 

“The Champions League is a very, very difficult competition, but we believe—particularly in the first game against Shandong—that we were well in it for over 90 minutes, and we felt we could’ve gotten at least a point from that game.” Curtis continued, “We’re disappointed in our first half performance in the Incheon game, but we again improved in the second half.” 

“Our target is just to compete. We want a good performance, we hope the boys can go and execute the game plan, and we hope to come away with the result,” he concluded.  

This match doubles as a homecoming event for Iloilo’s Daizo Horikoshi. Coach Yu Hoshide translated on the 2022 PFL Golden Ball winner’s behalf, relaying the following message.  

“I’m from Kanagawa, so it’s a dream come true to play against Yokohama F. Marinos. They’re the team against whom I want to show what I can do, especially with my family and friends coming to the game,” Daizo stated.  

“It’s a great honor to be here, and what’s important is that we play with our whole team together,” the winger added. “We cannot play as individuals, but we have to play as a team.

The Philippine representatives have gotten their feet wet in their first two matches back in continental waters, and now find themselves face-to-face with one of the biggest sharks in the competition. It’s sink or swim time, which makes the path ahead all the more clear for Coach Curtis. 

“First and foremost, they are a team with a clear identity. We know that they’ll try to dominate the ball and commit many players forward,” Colum noted. “It’s important for us to be concentrated from the first whistle and to be disciplined in our approach, which is to say we have to adapt in terms of how we play domestically to how we play in the Champions League.”

The match will be streamed live via the AFC’s YouTube channel, kickoff at the Nissan Football Stadium is at 6PM Philippine Time. Una Kaya!

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