Tight battle for division titles

The fight for the boys U15 and girls U16 championships 2019 NMIFA Spring Youth League is too close to call, as Kanoa Football Club remains in contention in the two divisions, while Southern United FC and MP United FC are also in the race.

In the girls U15 division match last Saturday at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville, Southern United whipped Paire, 8-0, for a 7-1-0 win-draw-loss record. At close second place with a 6-1-1 slate is Kanoa FC, which also hammered Matansa, 15-0, in last weekend’s game.

The Top 2 teams have two matches left with Southern facing TanHoldings this Saturday and Kanoa meeting MP United. Then on May 11, Southern and Kanoa will collide in probably the title-deciding game. If both Kanoa and Southern win their separate games tomorrow, the former may have to beat the latter to force a tie and playoff for the division crown.

In other results in the division last Saturday, TanHoldings downed MP United for its fourth win.

Mary Joy Aniana and Stephanie Flores scored two goals apiece for TanHoldings, while Sydney Hinds added one. Audrey Castro drilled the lone goal for MP United.

BOYS U15
Kanoa-1 7, Shirley’s 0
Kanoa-1 shut down Shirley’s to remain on top of the six-team field.

Kanoa-1 kept its perfect record (8-0-0), but has yet to secure the division title in the double-round robin contest with MP United lurking behind with its 7-0-1 slate.

Merrick Toves and Brian Lubao scored two goals each for Kanoa-1, while Sean Gil, Markus Toves, and Jaydee Jose contributed one apiece.

Kanoa-1 will play TanHoldings first this Saturday before dueling MP United in a crucial pairing on May 11

MP United 14, Kanoa-2
MP United also blanked Kanoa-2 to remain in the hunt for the division championship.

Richard Steel powered MP United to its seventh win after scoring six goals. He had a hat trick early in the first half and was still unstoppable in the second.

TanHoldings 6, Matansa 0
TanHoldings eased past Matansa for its fifth victory in the division.

Taro Goto starred in the win after making three goals, while Mark Roque chipped in two, and Oliver Fajardo had one.

GIRLS U19 DIVISION
MP United 11, TanHoldings 3
MP United earned an easy win over TanHoldings in a futsal game last Friday at the TSL Sports Complex.

Guinevere Borja led MP United with his three goals, while Lilian Podziewski, Katrina Costales, Stella McCallion, Anela Duenas, Francesca Bucalig, and Britally Wally also hit the board. MP United now has five victories, behind by one against idle and the unbeaten Kanoa.

TanHoldings, which drew two goals from Aniana and one from Catherine Barroza, has only one win to show so far this season.

Matansa 6,
Southern United 1
Matansa broke into the win column after stunning Southern United in the other game in the division.

Barbara Peteru delivered a hat trick for Matansa, which dropped its first five matches before pulling off an upset over Southern United. Jannah Casarino made a pair of goals for the winning squad, while Leisja Sally added one. Nathanette Camacho logged the only goal for Southern United.

CO-ED U12
Kanoa 7, Shirley’s 2
Kanoa dominated Shirley’s to move one win away from sweeping the season.

Taehun Han fired for goals for Kanoa, which has already secured the division championship as early as last April 20 and notched its ninth win after topping Shirley’s. Jayvin Bisek bagged the two goals for Shirley’s.

TanHoldings 1, MP United 0
TanHolding nosed out MP United in the other match in the division.

The victory put TanHoldings at the No. 2 spot in the team standings, dislodging MP United.

Jerald Dalawampu scored the only goal in the match.