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PFL: Title-seeking Cebu 'playing better', wants to win for Hatay

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Levi Joshua Verora Jr.

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="From the PFL Facebook page" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/04/02/20230402-football.jpg"/><figcaption><em>From the PFL Facebook page</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>CARMONA – Dynamic HERB Cebu FC wants to showcase its best form when it hosts a month-long home stand that may ultimately decide the Philippines Football League 2022-2023 season winner.</p><p>In what has turned out to be a two-way race for the crown, the “Gentle Giants” wrested league table leadership from title favorites Kaya FC-Iloilo following a 3-1 win over Mendiola FC 1991 last Saturday at the PFF National Training Center in Cavite. </p><p>Cebu hiked its total to 43 points (13 wins, 4 draws, 1 loss) against Kaya’s 42 (14 wins, 3 losses).</p><p>The two contenders will battle each other for the last time on Sunday, April 23 at the Dynamic HERB Sports Complex in Cebu. The last chapter of the “Visayas Derby” shall also usher in the start of a four-game stretch for the PFL newcomers at home.</p><p>“We’ll keep going until the last game. Our mindset is just to follow our coach, the plan, and to be more precise in scoring goals,” midfielder Daniel Gadia said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/02/23/pfl-undermanned-cebu-still-too-much-for-mendiola">PFL: Undermanned Cebu still too much for Mendiola</a></li></ul><p>Since yielding its season opener to Kaya, 3-nil, Cebu has gone on an unbeaten streak of 17 matches where it either won or drew its opponent. In their last two victories, the Cebuano side combined for 37 shots, showing more of the offensive capabilities expected from the team.</p><p>During the transfer window, the team added Canadian forward Leaford Anthony Allen and Japanese winger Rintaro Hama, while former United City FC players Florencio “Jun” Badelic, Jr. and Ivan Ouano were also signed for the second half of the season.</p><p>“We know that we can do it against Kaya. We have been adjusting since last year. We know we can beat them and do better game after game. We know we’ll do better in front of our fans too,” Ivorian midfielder Marius Kore said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/01/23/uaap-football-teves-hat-trick-powers-la-salles-rout-of-ust">UAAP football: Teves hat-trick powers La Salle&#x27;s rout of UST</a></li></ul><p>Cebu had some rocky performances this year, particularly when they had to overcome a deficit to prevail over Maharlika last March 19, and when Hama gave them a slim 1-nil win over Mendiola last March 25.</p><p>But Turkish national Mert Altinoz feels he and his teammates are steadily getting into the groove, right in time for the colossal clash versus Kaya.</p><p>“Now, our team is lots better. Last two games, our team played better than our first four games (this year). We need to keep working hard,” the right winger said.</p><p>Cebu beat Kaya in two of their three encounters this season, winning both instances with a 3-2 scoreline. The Mehmet Kakil-coached squad knows the significance of the upcoming contest, and more importantly, players understand they can control their own fate.</p><p>Adding more motivation to win it all is that Altinoz, Kakil, and assistant coach Levent Ozturk all hail from Hatay province, which suffered from a catastrophic earthquake last February 6.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/03/31/23/icymi-ph-azkals-talo-sa-kanilang-friendly-match-kontra-kuwait">ICYMI: PH Azkals talo sa kanilang friendly match kontra Kuwait</a></li></ul><p>“Our coaches are still not in the right mindset because of what happened to Hatay, but we’re giving everything to them. We’re trying to get the league (title) for them, for us, and for Cebu,” Gadia said.</p><p>Businessman Ugur Tasci, who owns the club, was also born in Turkey. Cebu has close ties to Turkish Super Lig top-flight side Hatayspor, a connection that paved the way for the likes of Altinoz and formerly Arda Cinkir, to see PFL action.</p><p>Lifting the PFL’s coveted silverware would give some sense of normalcy for Cebu’s Turkish natives as they continue to maneuver past thoughts from the tragedy that happened in their homeland.</p><p>“I want the championship for our team and for Hatay. I need to stay strong. We have the last four games, we need to be the champions of our league. We need to work really, really hard for our last four games, especially in our home stadium,” Altinoz added.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/01/23/chandler-mcdaniel-back-in-ph-squad-for-olympic-qualifiers">Football: Chandler McDaniel called up to PH team for Olympic qualifiers</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z5tTtJzkI2A?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><div><br/> </div>

Dynamic HERB Cebu FC wants to showcase its best form when it hosts a month-long home stand that may ultimately decide the PFL season winner.