AFC observes NMIFA Ordinary Congress

The CNMI Boys U14 National Team players and official pose for a photo yesterday in front of the Xianghe National Football Training Center in Beijing, China—the host of the AFC U14 Regional (East) Festival of Football 2016. (Contributed Photo)

An Asian Football Confederation official was in town last month to observe Northern Mariana Islands Football Association’s 8th Ordinary Congress held at the Azucena Room of the Fiesta Resort and Spa Saipan.

Puushottam Kattel, an International Relations Officer under AFC’s Member Association and International Relations Department, watched the two-hour proceeding, which featured reports on NMIFA’s accomplishments and development programs last year and plans for the 2016-2017 season and had the national federation’s election of new officers as the highlight.

“This was the first time the AFC sent an observer to the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association Congress. This is a common practice with all AFC member associations and the objective is to ensure that all the member associations follow their statutory provisions during the Congress, especially an elective Congress. The Congress was organized according to the existing NMIFA statutes,” AFC’s Media and Communication Department stated in a message sent to Saipan Tribune last Wednesday.

“The AFC representative (Kattel) also visited the NMIFA office and met the staff. The office is fit for purpose and the staff members are working hard to lay grounds for further football development in Northern Mariana Islands,” the department added.

Pattel also made the rounds at the Oleai Sports Complex Field and other school pitches that the CNMI uses for its games before attending the Congress to witness the election of NMIFA officials.

Jerry Tan was voted president anew of NMIFA. Others elected were vice president Vickie Izuka of MP United Football Club and NMIFA Executive Committee members Wesley Bogdan, Patty Coleman, and Norman Del Rosario.

Meanwhile, games in the AFC U14 Regional (East) Festival of Football 2016 will resume today at the Xianghe National Football Training Center in Beijing, China after the 10 participating teams took a break yesterday.

The CNMI Boys U14 National Team is among the squads seeing action in the event and will play its penultimate game in the festival at 4:30pm (6:30pm) against South Korea. Then tomorrow, the Jershwin Angeles-coached squad will face Mongolia at 9am to conclude its Group B matches.

Angeles, in a message to Saipan Tribune, said the Teen Ayuyus had a light one-hour training yesterday and some of the injured players are recovering well.

“John Michael Rojas’ ankle showed improvement while Kirt Andon and Joshua Waldo were able to join the training yesterday. Hopefully, everybody’s healthy for our last and another important game (against Mongolia). By the way, Guam beat Mongolia, 3-1, giving us more hope and confidence when we face the latter tomorrow,” Angeles said.

The Teen Ayuyus hold a 0-1-1 win-draw-loss record in the festival, forcing Guam to a 2-2 draw last Monday before losing to Japan last Tuesday, 0-17.