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Teen Ayuyus debut vs Indonesia tomorrow
Members of the CNMI Boys U16 National Team pose for a photo at the departure area of the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport early yesterday morning before they leave for Thailand to compete in the AFC U16 Championship 2018 Qualifiers. (Contributed Photo)
The CNMI U16 Boys National Team will have its first match in the AFC U16 Championship 2018 Qualifiers tomorrow as it takes on Indonesia at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Game time is at 7:30pm (10:30pm Saipan time).
The Teen Ayuyus left for Thailand early yesterday morning and will have less than two days to get ready against the Indons. The CNMI U16 Boys National Team is made up of 20 players and will be coached by Michiteru Mita, who will be assisted by Jershwin Angeles. Goalkeeper coach Jonathan Takano is slated to join the squad yesterday evening after coming from a seminar in Malaysia.
Against Indonesia, Mita said that the Teen Ayuyus must brace for a tough match and he needs his wards to be decisive on the pitch and not to be intimidated by their favored foes. Coming into their game against the CNMI, the Indons won their friendly match against Singapore, 2-0. Indonesia had four more training matches before the Asian Football Confederation-sanctioned tournament, drawing Myanmar, 2-2, and losing to Thailand, 0-1; Australia, 3-7; and Laos, 2-3.
Incidentally, the Commonwealth players will also face Laos bets on Sept. 20 and the host Thailand on Sept. 18 before closing out their Group G assignments with a duel against Timor-Lester on Sept. 24. Timos-Lester and Laos will open the hostilities in the qualifier tomorrow at 4pm Thailand time.
Before heading to Thailand, the Teen Ayuyus also had training matches. They faced Guam twice during a summer camp in July with both matches ending in draws, 2-2. The CNMI players then defeated Dededo FC/Wings FC U15, 5-0, and drew Islanders FC, 3-3.
“The team is well prepared and the players will give their best in every game. We will show a lot of team spirit. Please continue to support our boys. Your continued support will encourage our boys and make them stronger,” Mita said.
