Kanoa, TanHoldings stay on top

Kanoa Football Club’s Kristelle Itaas, right, stretches to stop the ball during a first round game against Southern United Football Club in the girls U16 division of the 2019 NMIFA Fall Youth League at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville. Kanoa is still on top of the team standings in the division with its 5-1-0 win-draw-loss record. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

TanHoldings Football Club and Kanoa Football Club is still ahead in their respective divisions in the 2019 NMIFA Fall Youth League after prevailing in last weekend’s matches at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville.

In the boys U18 age group, TanHoldings cruised past MP United last Friday, 5-1, to widen its lead in the division. TanHoldings improved to a 5-1-0 win-draw-loss record, two victories ahead of MP United (3-0-3) and three up against Kanoa FC (2-2-2). Matansa rounded out the standings with its dismal 0-1-5 slate.

Mark Esalan powered TanHoldings to its fifth victory after making a hat trick. He knocked in a pair in the first half after scoring in the 11th and 25th minute, while John Guiller Canape delivered the other goal for the squad in the sixth for their 3-0 halftime edge.

Esalan completed a hat trick in the 38th minute, while Aloyzeus Angeles posted TanHoldings’ other goal in the second half when he found the back of the net in the 81st minute.

MP United got its lone goal from John Michael Rojas in the 68th minute.

Meanwhile, Kanoa foiled Matansa’s bid to make it to the win column after forcing a draw, 2-2, in the other boys U18 match last weekend.

Sebastien Manabat and Daniel Mar Pablo registered the two goals for Kanoa with the latter hitting the equalizer in the 70th. Manabat also scored a game-tying goal in the 47th minute, nine minutes after Ronnel Ocanada’s conversion gave Matansa a shaky lead, 1-0.

Matansa led anew in the 52nd minute off Joshua De Leon’s goal, but Kanoa had the last say to force the deadlock.

GIRLS U16
Kanoa 6, Shirley’s 3
Kanoa outclassed Shirley’s in last Saturday’s game to keep the lead in the division.

Kanoa now has a 5-1-0 record to pace TanHoldings (4-1-1), Southern United (3-2-1), Shirley’s (2-0-4), MP United (2-0-4), and Matansa (0-0-6).

Paulyn Joyce starred in Kanoa’s victory No. 5 after scoring three times. She made her first goal in the 23rd minute and the last two in the 58th and 65th. Kristelle Itaas, Sharmaine Francisco, and Donna Kapileo contributed one goal each after lighting up the board in the 22nd, 25th, and 38th minute, respectively.

Katrina Costales had a brace for Shirley’s with her shot in the 13th and 44th minute, while Lilian Podziewski registered the other goal (68th minute) for the losing squad.

MP United 10, Matansa 1
Audrey Castro fired four goals to lift MP United to the easy victory.

Castro found her target in the 20th, 32nd, 35th, and 60th minute. Three other MP United players scored in the lopsided win with Fiona Bucalig adding three, Maury Zon Tybaco chipping in two, and Jin Hee Woo contributing one.
Barbara Peteru and Pia Ngewakl logged the two goals for the winless Matansa.

TanHoldings 2, Southern United 2
Christina Atalig scored in the 56th minute, helping Shirley’s to a draw against TanHoldings.

Shirley’s other goal came in the eighth minute, courtesy of Marinel Falalimpa, while TanHoldings’ pair of goals was delivered by Kaithlyn Chavez.