MPU keeps unbeaten record

MP United Football Club’s Rinto Takahashi handles the ball during their game against Kanoa FC in the boys U14 division of the 2017 NMIFA Fall Youth League last Saturday at the Koblerville Elementary School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

MP United Football Club is still undefeated in the boys U14 division games of the 2017 NMIFA Fall Youth League as it nosed out Kanoa FC, 3-2, last Saturday at the Koblerville Elementary School Field.

Rintaro Miyawaki knocked in the go-ahead goal for MP United, which improved its win-draw-loss record to 4-1-0 to keep the upper hand in the six-team field. Miyawaki broke the tie with his shot in the 37th minute and MP United did a good job keeping the shaky lead in the remaining minutes of the second half to get its fourth win this season.

Richard Steele and Jason Quimson scored the two other goals for MP United with the former finding the back of the net in the third minute and the latter doing the same 11 minutes later for the 2017 spring champion’s 2-0 advantage.

MP United’s lead then was sliced to one, as it committed an error, awarding an own goal for Kanoa in the 25th minute. Kanoa went on to even up the count, thanks to Brian Lubao’s conversion in the 28th minute. Neither team hit the board in the ensuing plays, keeping the match in a deadlock at the break.

When the game resumed, Miyawaki found his target early, scoring right into the second minute of the final half to help MP United regain the lead.

After its close victory over Kanoa, MP United will have its acid test this Saturday as it takes on defending fall season champion TanHoldings FC.

TanHoldings came from an 8-1 demolition of Paire FC last Saturday. Taka Borja anchored TanHoldings’ beating of Paire after firing four goals, including three straight (52nd, 54th, and 65th minute). The TanHoldings striker got his first goal in the 20th minute, while Aloyzeus Angeles also lit up the board in the first half with his shot in the 28th for the squad’s 2-1 halftime edge.

Borja and company then turned the close match into a blowout win after getting into their rhythm in the second half. Besides Borja, three other TanHoldings players scored in the second half with Oliver Fajardo, Reginald Pascual, and Richard Waldo earning goals in the 66th, 69th, and 70th minute, respectively.

Blake Mister drilled the lone goal for Paire in the 27th minute.

Meanwhile, in the final game in the division last Saturday, Matansa eased past Shirley’s FC, 4-0.

Razeff Altamirano starred in Matansa’s shutout win after making a hat trick. He scored back-to-back-goals with the first recorded in the 11th minute and the second a minute later, while his third came in the 43rd. Lolobeyong Benito logged the other goal for Matansa in the 26th minute.

CO-ED U12 DIVISION
TanHoldings 9, Paire 3
TanHoldings was also victorious in the co-ed U12 age group after routing Paire.

Anthony John Bergancia, Mark Joseph Roque, and Angelo Pulido teamed up for TanHoldings’ domination of Paire, as each posted three goals in last weekend’s match at the Hopwood Middle School Field. Bergancia hit the board in the 18th, 19th, and 42nd minute, Mark Joseph duplicated that feat with his shots in the 10th, 38th, and 40th, while Pulido scored in the 15th, 55th, and 59th.
Dylan Mister also had a hat trick on a losing effort for Paire, as he found his target in the 13th, 25th, and 51st minute.

Kanoa-1 5, MP United 4
Kanoa-1 nipped MP United behind the goal of Jim Kurt Maniago.

Kanoa-1 stole the victory, as it was behind at the break, 1-2, and MP United was still ahead, 4-3, with less than 20 minutes left in the one-hour match. Markus Toves’ third goal in the game (52nd minute) forced the deadlock before Maniago broke the tie and MP United’s heart with his goal in the last minute of the match. Toves’ two other goals came in the 26th and 33rd minute.

As for MP United’s side, Andrew Chung gave the team the lead, 1-0, with his goal in the ninth minute, while Garett Weaver also earned a goal in the first half (15th minute) for their 2-1 halftime advantage. Richard Castro scored MP United’s third goal (37th), while Chungs’ second (41st minute) put their squad on top for the last time before Toves and Maniago delivered for Kanoa-1.

Matansa 7, Kanoa-2 1
Matansa walloped Kanoa, thanks to Jin Xin Wen and Alex Megino’s outstanding games.
Xin registered three goals, scoring in the 10th, 21st, and 50th minute, while Alex also had a hat trick with his conversions in the 32nd, 36th, and 52nd. Jose Rafael Lopez chipped in one goal for Matansa, while Kanoa-2 avoided a shutout loss when Lowell Lumauag found the back of the net in the 38th minute.