CNMI scores first goal in EAFF preliminary

The CNMI Men’s Football Team recorded the first goal in the East Asian Football Championship 2010 Preliminary Competition before bowing to Macau, 1-6, yesterday at the Leo Palace Resort in Guam.

Joe Miller scored in the fifth minute of the first half on an assist from Peter Houk. The play started from Lucas Knecht chasing a Macau striker. Team captain Peter Loken entered the picture and stole the ball. He then kicked it toward the sideline to Houk, who then found Miller in the middle for a powerful left foot kick.

“It was a quick goal. We never expected to score early. That goal stunned not only Macau, but our players, too. It was a good start for us,” CNMI coach Sugao Kambe said in telephone interview with the Saipan Tribune.

Macau made its first goal a few minutes later and had four more to end the first half with a 5-1 lead. Macau nailed another one in the second half to foil the CNMI strikers’ upset bid.

Loken said although they did not score in the second half, the team played better, especially on defense.

“We played more as a team in the second half and we were aggressive on defense. Overall, we learned a lot from our first game against Macau. Hopefully, these will help us in our next game [tomorrow] against Guam,” Loken said.

“There’s more at stake in our game against Guam, as this is sort of a rivalry between two teams in Micronesia. We will do our best, play solid defense, and see what happens next,” he added.

Loken is hoping that his teammates will remember how the CNMI almost won over Guam during the EAAF qualifier in 2007 on Saipan to boost the Commonwealth bets’ confidence when they face the hosts tomorrow at 4pm. The CNMI strikers lost by only a goal, 2-3, in the EAFF tournament two years ago.

Kambe, who also coached Guam from 2003 to 2005, said the CNMI will be facing a different team in Guam and the Commonwealth strikers will need more aggressiveness on defense to keep pace with the host.

“It will not be easy, but it will be an interesting match and I am sure CNMI players will play with a lot of pride, as they want to prove something against Guam,” Kambe said.

Guam was playing Mongolia in the second match of Day 1 yesterday, but results of the match were unavailable at press time.

The preliminary competition will be a round-robin event with the team that earns the most points after three games moving to the semifinal round, which will be played in August in Taiwan. A victory is equivalent to three points, one for a draw, and none for a loss.