Shirley’s gains cushion; NMI U18 unbeaten

A pair of wins in Week 6 of the 2019 Spring Men’s M-League gave Shirley’s Football Club some breathing space in Division B.

Shirley’s first defeated the CNMI Women’s National Team, 4-2, last Thursday at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville, and then downed Pacific Islands Club last Sunday, 5-3, to gain five victories, two more than PIC and ahead by one against Sun Palace. Before last week’s matches, Shirley, PIC, and Sun Palace had three wins each.

Hojin Woo and Hoin Ryu handed Shirley’s victory No. 4 after drilling two goals apiece in their triumph over the NMI WNT. Gillian Villagomez and Britany Wally scored the two goals for the NMI WNT in the first half to tie the game before Ryu’s shot in the 49th minute broke the deadlock and Woo’s conversion in the 74th gave Shirley’s the insurance. Woo and Ryu’s early goals were recorded in the 17th and 37th minute, respectively, while Villagomez drew first blood in the match in the 12th, and Wally hit the equalizer in the 39th.

Woo also drilled a pair in Shirley’s come-from-behind win over PIC, which was ahead at halftime, 2-0, before collapsing in the second.

Brandon Tenorio’s goals in the third and 35th minute handed PIC the advantage and they even took a 3-0 lead when John Kai Colisao hit the board in the 46th minute. However, that was it for PIC, as it was all Shirley’s show after that.

Jedidah Peteru started Shirley’s rally with his goal in the 47th minute, while Woo scored in the 52nd and 67th, and Heng Guo Piao, and Jack Phan delivered in the 53rd and 89th minute, respectively.

Sun Palace 5, NMI WNT 2
Sun Palace moved up to second place in the team standings after beating the CNMI WNT in the other Division B match last Sunday.

Sun Palace toyed around with the defense of the NMI WNT early, as it got three goals in a span of seven minutes. Won Jong Seo notched a pair in the second and seventh minute, while Jun Liu earned his first in the fifth. Liu ended up recording a hat trick, as he lit up the board in the 30th and 78th minute.

Stella McCallion and Marinel Falalimpa scored the two goals for the CNMI WNT in the second half.

DIVISION A
NMI U18 22, Matansa 0
The CNMI Boys U18 National Team was all fired up in the final match last weekend after hammering Matansa.

After a 9-0 lead in the first half, the NMI U18 went for the kill in the second to pin down the winless Matansa and extend its streak to five.

Sunjoon Tenorio led the NMI U18 with his seven goals, while his six other teammates also scored multiple goals.

Old B Bank 5, KFAS 2
The Old B Bank gained win No. 2 after outclassing Korean Football Association on Saipan.

Hwapyong Kim towed the Old B Bank to the victory after firing three goals. He broke the ice in the 16th minute and delivered his last two goals in the 67th and 71st. Kosuke Matsumoto contributed two goals, while Naoki Oura added one off a penalty kick. Junsik Kim hit the pair of goals for KFAS, which has yet to win this season.