‘Experience will make CNMI soccer better’

The CNMI gained something more valuable than winning when it competed in Asian Football Confederation-sanctioned tournaments last month.

The CNMI’s Jordan Butcher, 25, steps into the play during their game against Thailand in the AFC U19 Championship Bahrain 2016 Qualifiers in Bangkok early this month. (Contributed Photo)

“The experience (in the international tournament) will make CNMI soccer better,” said Northern Mariana Islands Football Association technical director Kiyoshi Sekiguchi, who coached the two Commonwealth youth squads that joined AFC events in Laos and Thailand.

Sekiguchi first called the shots for the CNMI U16 National Team that participated in the AFC U16 Championship India 2016 Qualifiers at the National Sports Complex Stadium in Vientiane. The Teen Ayuyus dropped all their games in the Group G qualifier, falling to Timor-Leste, the Philippines, Laos, and eventual champion Malaysia.

Of their four matches, Sekiguchi picked their game against the hosts as the best for the Commonwealth players.

“In the first half, the score was 0-0. Laos won, 5-0. Our players did their best,” Sekiguchi said.

Sekiguchi’s U16 crew was composed of Christopher Aninzo, Clayton Izuka, James Ermitanio, Alan Hinson, Mareko Tekopua, Alex Park, Louie Calayag, Cole Chambers, Code Leon, Emmanuel Aniana, Sunjoon Tenorio, Edwin Kim, Anthony Fruit, Joshua Abragan, Jonathan Capayas, Joshua De Leon, Thaiphi Austria, Chad Shankweiler, and Dai Podziewski. Fruit and Tenorio managed to score in the AFC tournament in Laos, drilling one goal apiece in the Teen Ayuyus 2-9 loss to the Philippines.

From Laos, Sekiguchi went to Thailand to be with the CNMI U19 National Team that played in the AFC U19 Championship Bahrain 2016 Qualifiers. The competition was held in Bangkok from Sept. 28 to Oct. 6 with the Teen Ayuyus playing against Chinese-Taipei, Singapore, Thailand, and Group H champion South Korea.

The CNMI team was composed of Hunter Jewell, Scott Kim, Won Young Kim, Jordan Butcher, Joshua Galarion, Joel Fruit, Yoshi Mafnas, Greg Sablan, Terrence Belcher, John Diego Masga, Sean Perez, Ryu Tanzawa, Christopher Aninzo, Emmanuel Aniana, Mareko Tekopua, Euly Ermitanio, Alan Hinson, and Chad Shankweiler.

“We had our best game against Thailand. We lost, 0-7, but our players were mentally strong to the end,” said Sekiguchi about the Teen Ayuyus’ match against the U19 Asian Football Federation champions.

Overall, Sekiguchi is proud of the CNMI national teams’ participation in the AFC events.

“We couldn’t win. It is difficult for us to get possessions because our techniques and physical built were not enough against other strong countries. However, we got strong bonds among our teammates. We knew how important it is to fight 100 percent, trust our teammates, and have responsibility,” Sekiguchi said.

“Our players are getting better through these international games,” he added.