Game time decision

Left photo shows Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes taking the penalty shot in one of their games in the Premier League last February. Right file photo has Tim Howard going for the save for the U.S. Men’s National Team’s game in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. (AP)

It’s the Marianas Cup, the CNMI and Guam are in a deadlock, 4-4, with the opposing teams left with only one player to take the game winner in the shootout. Who will be your shooter? Your goalkeeper?

Northern Mariana Islands Football Association president Jerry Tan will put his money on Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and former U.S. Men’s National Team goalie Tim Howard.

“I think since playing for Manchester United, Fernandes hasn’t missed a penalty shot,” said Tan when asked to name an international or professional player that he would want to take the pressure-packed shot for the CNMI.

The Man United transferee (from Sporting CP) did hit three penalty shots this season and has a conversion rate of 91 percent in 23 career attempts as of February this year. In fact, he missed only two spot-kicks since turning pro in 2013. His impressive performance with Manchester United in February earned him the Premier League Player of the Month honors.

Tan also loves how the Portugal national player takes his shot and tricks the opposing team’s goalie. It’s not your straight up kick, as Fernandes does the hop, skip, and jump penalty technique.

As for his choice for goalie, Tan believes Howard is the best keeper of the USMNT. The NMIFA head remembered how the now retired goalie was lauded in Brazil during the 2014 World Cup when he set the new record for most saves (16 versus Belgium) in the quadrennial event. Howard’s fete was celebrated that much that Wikipedia “reported” he was named secretary of defense of the U.S. after the record save.

Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon is also a record-holder (longest streak without conceding a goal in Serie A history—over 12 league matches) and NMIFA technical director and CNMI Men’s National team coach Michiteru Mita, if given a chance, will put the Italian to the post to defend against the money shot.

“He is a legend and the most experienced guy in international football. He is already past his peak to play a 90-minute game, but he is still good enough to play this PK,” Mita said.

The 42-year-old started playing for Italian national team (youth and men’s) since 1993, making him the most capped in the country’s football history after representing the Italians 176 times.

As for the PK shooter, Mita picked former Japanese national team member Yasuhiro Endo.

“I chose Endo because his PK success rate is 88% (Cristiano Ronaldo is 83.8%) and he is a very experienced player, having played in many big matches. He would not miss in this big chance,” Mita said.

MP United technical director Norman Del Rosario’s choice for the PK taker has a better success rate that Endo. Del Rosario selected former Liverpool star and United Kingdom player Steven Gerrard.

“Gerrard had an impressive penalty record, as he scored 24 times from the spot and his conversion rate happens to be 92 %. He absolutely loves hitting the top corner of the net with his greatest strength being the ability to generate serious pace while striking the ball,” Del Rosario said.

On defense, the MP United official will pin his hopes on former Ukraine national team member Oleksandr Shovkovskiy.

In a shootout against Switzerland in the 2006 World Cup, Shovkovskiy did not allow a shot, helping Ukraine advance to the quarterfinals. Shovkovskiy previously held the Ukraine national team record in minutes played (728) without yielding a goal.

Sunjoon Tenorio—himself a go-to-guy for the CNMI national team—is tabbing his favorite player to hit the dagger.

“Neymar, my favorite player and one of the best penalty takers in the world. He actually has been in that similar situation during the 2016 Olympics,” Tenorio said.

The Brazilian phenomenon’s penalty shot lifted Brazil to a 5-4 victory over Germany in the gold medal match in the 2016 Olympic Games. He was in the Top 15 in Europe’s best PK takers in 2017 and this season has a success rate of 61 %.

For his goalie, Tenorio selected Newcastle United legend and the Netherlands’ Tim Krul

“He isn’t very well known, but is a hero for me growing up as a Newcastle fan. He saved many penalties, including a shootout win in the 2014 World Cup,” Tenorio said.

Meanwhile, Brad Ruszala, a former member of the CNMI Men’s National Team, requested that he name a player on island for the PK, but eventually selected six-time FIFA Player of the Year Lionel Messi.

“Lionel Messi would be my choice for our fifth PK. For an off-island guy, he’s kind of a combination of former CNMI players. He’s got the moves of Joe Miller, the shot of Nick Swaim, and the beard of Steve McKagan,” Ruszala said.

“For CNMI keeper, I’d go with Gianluigi Buffon. He’s awesome and he’s 42 years old. Maybe I’m biased because I play for the M-League’s awesome old guys team. Maybe it’s because the CNMI’s first team was made up of a bunch of cagey veterans. Either way, he’s our guy,” he added.