CNMI to compete in HK football tourney

Players and officials of the CNMI U14 National Team pose for a group photo at the departure area of the Saipan International Airport early yesterday morning before heading to Hong Kong for a weekend tournament. (ROSELYN B. MONROYO)

The CNMI U14 National Team left Saipan early yesterday morning to compete in the Girls International Youth Football Invitational Tournament in Hong Kong this weekend.

The CNMI squad is composed of 18 players and three officials. Goalie Chevy Kate Alipio leads the team and is joined by Princess Alcantara, Carla Ballesteros, Guinevere Borja, Angelica Carreon, Jeralyn Castillo, Katrina Costales, Anela Duenas, Berdanette Horey, Samanta Manacop, Diana Maniacop, De’Jana Muna, Angelica and Lyka Sally, Pinyarat Shanweiler, Madeleine Taisacan, Krizel Tuason, and Gillian Villagomez. Mae Ito is the team manager, while Ross Zapanta is the delegation head, and Pam Carhill of Marianas Health Service is the team physiotherapist.

In Hong Kong, the CNMI bets will be playing against three teams. Today, the Commonwealth players will take on the host in a 9:15am match, which will be followed by the game between China and Guam.

Tomorrow, the CNMI will challenge China in the second game at 11:30am before closing out its campaign in the three-day tournament with a duel versus Guam at 9:15am.

Meanwhile, action in Northern Mariana Islands Football Association’s two adult leagues continued last weekend.

In the NMIFA women’s league at the Oleai Sports Complex Field, Shirley’s FC, Independents FC, and Kanoa FC won against separate opponents. Shirley’s was pitted against Matansa and cruised to a 4-0 victory, while Independents FC edged Paire, 1-0, and Kanoa won via default over Tan Holdings.

Negahr Rastguiy canned a pair go goals in Shirley’s FC shutout win over Matansa, while Yui Ito and Marilou Gariguez chipped in one apiece. In the Independents-Paire tiff, Amy Furnare nailed the lone goal to hand the former its second win in three games.

In the M-League (men’s), Wild Bill’s, Thundercats, and Inter Godfather’s blanked their foes, while Paire slipped past Matansa, 2-1.
Inter Godfather’s played in the first game at the Oleai pitch last Sunday and downed MP United, 2-0. Shunji Nagayasu scored in the first half (32nd minute) for Inter Godfather’s, while Peter Loken handed the team its second goal in the 78th minute.

In the second game, Ajani Burelle made both goals for Paire. He got his first right into the third minute of the first half and the second in the opening minute of the final frame. Matansa avoided a shutout after drawing a goal from Kamrul Kamrul in the 48th minute.

In the third match of the day, Tanapon Unsa and Jack Thoensaket teamed up in lifting Wild Bill’s to the easy win. The two players scored two goals each with Unsa scoring back-to-back goals in a span of two minutes (25th and 27th minute). Thoensaket also made it to the board in the first half (39th minute) before tallying his second one with nine minutes left in the match. Tyler Willsey and Daniel Wollack also lit up the board in the second half for Wild Bill’s.

In the final game of the weekend, the Thundercats got goals from Timothy Tawanpiy (38th) and Frank Jeon (58th) to defeat Sun Palace.