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CNMI U15 strikers to play in Japan
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Posted on Jul 01 2011
To warm up for this month’s East Asian Football Federation U15 Youth Tournament, CNMI strikers will play a couple of matches in Japan first.
The EAFF competition will run from July 18 to 24 at the Taipei Municipal Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan, but the CNMI U15 Team will leave Saipan early for a stopover in Japan.
“The team will leave Saipan on July 16 and will be in Japan for a mini-camp for two days. They will have three matches against U15 boys teams from two different football clubs,” said Northern Mariana Islands Football Association general secretary Ed Salas, who with three other NMIFA officials will accompany the 18-player CNMI U15 Team in Japan and Taiwan.
In Yokohama City, the Commonwealth strikers will challenge Yokohama FC U15 squad, while in Chiba City, the visitors will be pitted against Jef United Chiba. The CNMI bets’ third match in Japan will be against players from Tamadai-Meguro Junior High School in Meguro, Tokyo.
Besides playing three games, the CNMI youth strikers will also see professional matches in Japan.
“The boys will also get a chance to see two J-League professional soccer matches. This will be an awesome experience for them. Almost all of the boys have never seen a live professional soccer match. They will be in awe with the ambience at the stadium and the huge fans and not to mention the high caliber of matches. It’s lifetime soccer experience,” Salas said.
“We will depart Japan for Taipei in the afternoon of the July 18. Upon arrival, we will immediately head to the training field for a workout,” the NMIFA official said.
On Taipei, the CNMI U15 Team composed of Jordan Butcher, Enrico del Rosario, Ethan Dickinson, Kenneth Domingo, Gregzon Fontanilla, Joel and Mason Fruit, Dakota Hall, William Hinson II, Kennedy Izuka, Hunter Jewell, Andrew Johnson, Angelo Jones, Jehn Joyner, Jake Lee, Sean Perez, John Taisacan, and Jirech Yobech will play against the host, Korea, Hong Kong, Guam, and Macau.
