Kaya FC-Iloilo hopes its 1-2 loss against Cong An Ha Noi FC in the Shopee Cup last Thursday could help strengthen its campaign in the Philippines Football League (PFL).

Mark Swainston said their experience in the Shopee Cup and the AFC Champions League 2 will help them tighten their grip once the PFL resumes soon.

Swainston’s lone goal in the 54th minute against the Vietnamese side was the first by any footballer playing for a Filipino club in the competition.

“I’m happy to score and be the first from a Filipino club but we still lost at the end of the day so I’m hoping we can build from a performance like that,” Swainston said.

“We want to defend our title. We want to ensure we will play in these competitions next season.”

The Lions are currently on top of the league table with a 5-1-0 win-draw-loss record entering the holiday break.

Their latest victory was a 1-0 win over One Taguig FC on 1 December.

However, Kaya will resume the season without veteran forwards Robert Lopez Mendy and Daizo Horikoshi along with defender Park Yi Young.

Still, Kaya head coach Yu Hoshide said they have more than enough talent to execute a title defense.

“Most of the players are ready to play so we have to do that, especially last year,” Hoshide said.

Kaya goalkeeper Walid Birrou agrees, saying winning the PFL is the only way they will be able to face the best teams in the region.

“We’re playing against the elite teams in Southeast Asia and East Asia in the Champions League. For us, it’s a goal to win the league and return to the international stage,” Birrou said.