MPU, Tan Holdings boost title bid

MP United Football Club and Tan Holdings FC strengthened their chances for the season championship in the co-ed U12A division of the 2015 NMIFA Youth Fall League after downing separate foes last Saturday at the Hopwood Junior High School Field.

MP United Football Club’s Rintaro Miyawaki kicks the ball, while a Kanoa FC defender stays close to him during the first half of their co-ed U12A division game in the NMIFA youth league last Saturday at the Hopwood Junior High School Field.

MP United defeated Kanoa FC at Pitch 2, 6-4, to remain on top of the team standings with its 4-0-1 win-draw-loss record and 12 points. Tan Holdings FC is close behind at second place, holding a 3-0-2 mark following a 4-2 triumph over Paire FC at Pitch 1. The Top 2 teams collide in the last game of the shortened season this Saturday (rescheduled match originally set for Oct. 17) with MP United needing at least a draw to secure the division title, while Tan Holdings is pressured to get a win to force a tie for first place. The organizing Northern Mariana Islands Football Association has yet to announce the rules in case of a deadlock.

Tan Holdings, which incidentally handed MP United its lone loss in the season, 3-2, last Nov.7, kept its season title bid alive after drawing goals from three players in its game against Paire (1-0-4). Taka Borja gave Tan Holdings two of its three goals in the first half, scoring in the 16th and 19th minute. Ezekiel Canape nailed the other goal for Tan Holdings in the opening frame with his shot in the 35th minute, while Angelo Pulido drilled the last one in the 48th.

Paire got both of its goals from CNMI U13 National Team mainstay Kaden Church, who logged his first in the 16th and the second in the 58th minute.

In the MP United-Kanoa tussle, Rintaro Miyawaki was unstoppable for the former, as he knocked in four goals. The Saipan International School student recorded MP United’s only goal in the first half, as he found the back of the net in the fifth minute.

The first frame ended with MP United behind, 1-2, as Kanoa drew a brace from Ian Maniago to threaten an upset against the division leader. After Miyawaki’s early goal, Maniago’s tied the match in the eighth minute and then handed Kanoa the precarious lead at the break with his second goal in the 18th.

At the resumption of the match, Miyawaki equalized with his second goal in the 32nd minute and MP United went on to wrestle the upper hand, 3-2, as the 11-year-old player scored anew just one minute later. A goal from Akira Kadokura in the 35th minute and Miyawaki’s fourth in the 44th gave MP United more cushion, 5-2, before Maniago struck again with two straight goals, lighting up the board in the 45th and 46th to move Kanoa within one.

However, Kanoa failed to overhaul the deficit, while MP United got the insurance goal from Dylan Cho in the 51st minute. Kanoa fell tell to third place in the team standings with its 2-0-3 slate.

BOYS U15
Tan Holdings-1 4, Matansa 0
Tan Holdings bagged its fourth win in as many games after blanking Matansa (1-0-3) at the Oleai Sports Complex Field.

Anthony Fruit led the victory with his two goals, while Jonah Pohl and Rico Reyes added one apiece. Fruit made it to the board first with his conversion in the fourth minute, while Pohl and Reyes recorded their goals in the 10th and 20th minute. Fruit’s second goal came in the 57th minute.

With Tan Holdings’ 4-0-0 mark, it duplicated the record of idle MP United and they may battle for the division championship with two playing weekends left in the schedule.

Paire 5, Tan Holdings-2 1
In the other boys U15 match at the Oleai pitch, Paire dominated Tan Holdings-2.

Paire now has a 3-0-1 record and still has a chance for the division crown provided Tan Holdings-1 and MP United dropped their last two matches.

Five different players scored in Paire’s third win with Jefferzon Sagum starting things out for his team after making a goal in the fourth minute. Paire added three more goals in the first half with Logan Mister, Robbie Schorr, and Jamin Elliot scoring in the 33rd, 34th, and 38th minute, respectively. Dai Podziewski made it a 5-0 lead in the 67th minute before Tan Holdings-2 avoided a shutout after Taka Borja ended the team’s silence in the 73rd.