NMIFA, Dove host AFC Women’s Football Day

Players line up to do drills in yesterday’s AFC Women’s Football Day held at the Hopwood Junior High School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Northern Mariana Islands Football Association took part in the celebration of the International Women’s Day by holding the AFC Women’s Football Day yesterday at the Hopwood Junior High School Field.

NMIFA Executive Committee member Patricia Coleman said 80 individuals registered for the event, which saw female players—young and old—participating in 3 vs 3 matches, drills, and other fun activities from 4pm to 6pm. Players and officials from MP United Club, Paire FC, Kanoa FC, Southern United FC, Shirley’s FC, TanHoldings FC, and Matansa were represented in yesterday’s event and prizes courtesy of Dove, AFC, and NMIFA were given away to winners in the fun games.

There was also a 30-minute scrimmage for members of the CNMI Women’s All-Star Team, while in the second part of the event, organizers held a short program and showed a movie about women empowerment at the Hopwood cafeteria.

Meanwhile, Paire FC eased past Kanoa in the Division A game in the 2017 Dove Women’s Spring League last Sunday at the Chacha Oceanview Middle School.

Guinevere Borja made a pair of goals for Paire, which got one apiece from Lyka and Angel Sally and Jeraldine Castillo. Sarah Allen scored the lone goal for Kanoa.

In the other Division A match last weekend, Shirley’s FC forced a draw against TanHoldings-MP United, thanks to Katrina Costales’ goal in the 60th minute.

The Shirley’s and TanHoldings-MP United tiff was also tied after the first half, 2-2. Gillian Villagomez scored first for TanHoldings-MP United in the seventh minute, while Jasmine Phan drilled the equalizer in the 14th minute. Diana Manacop then put TanHoldings-MP United back in the driver’s seat with her conversion in the 24th minute, but not for long as a minute later De Jana Muna evened up the count anew. Both teams went cold in the remainder of the second half.

Then 10 minutes into the second half, Villagomez knocked in the go-ahead for TanHoldings-MP United, however Costales later countered for the draw.

The Division B duel between MP United and Paire also ended in a draw, while Shirley’s edged Kanoa in the other game.

Katherine Magat recorded the only goal for Shirley’s as she found the back of the net in the 18th minute.

Julia Ishikawa also gave MP United a goal in the 23rd minute, while L.J. Manibusan canned the game-tying one for Paire in the 40th minute.