CNMI posts historic win vs Macau

The CNMI U15 National Team made history in the 2011 East Asian Football Federation U15 Youth Tournament after winning over Macau, 2-1, yesterday at the Taipei Municipal Stadium.

The victory was the CNMI’s first in EAFF-sanctioned competitions and it was also the first time that the Commonwealth bets scored in the federation’s youth tournament since they joined the 2006 U14 Youth Festival in China.

Jehn Joyner logged both goals for the CNMI and they came off headers. Joyner scored the header in the first half from a good pass and cross by Jirech Yobech. In the second half, Dakota Hall hit a corner kick and then Joyner made the header, which passed through Macau players’ feet. Macau fumbled and the ball went it.

Before their big win over Macau, the CNMI strikers dropped their first four games against the former Portuguese territory. In 2006 during the CNMI’s debut in the EAFF tournament, Macau beat the CNMI, 5-0.

Two years later when Guam hosted the then U14 tournament, the Commonwealth strikers bowed to Macau twice, 0-2, 0-3.

Guam also hosted the 2010 tournament for the U15 age group and the CNMI and Macau met for the fourth time with the Commonwealth players losing again, 0-7.

Coming into its game against Macau yesterday afternoon, the CNMI was 0-4 in the six-team tournament. The CNMI youth strikers fell to Chinese-Taipei, 0-18; Hong Kong, 0-15; Korea, 0-22; and Guam, 0-3.

After losing their first two games, starting defender John Taisacan promised they will score at least one goal in their last two matches. The CNMI strikers honored their word and delivered not only one, but two goals and more importantly won their last game in the round-robin tournament.

Againts Guam, though the CNMI lost, it played better defense and limited Guam to only three goals. Last year, Guam demolished the CNMI, 22-0.

“Down two goals in the first half, Joyner faked out Guam’s defender and crossed the ball into the box to CNMI’s right midfielder, Jireh Yobech. Yobech hit the ball into the back of the net in what could have been CNMI’s first goal of the tournament, but Yobech was called off sides,” team official Carrie Schuler said in an email to Saipan Tribune.

Schuler added on a breakaway toward Guam’s goal, Joyner was fouled which set Dakota Hall up for a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box. Unfortunately, the left-footer’s shot was blocked by Guam’s four-man wall.

“It was our closest game so far. Our defense was good, but Guam found some cracks in our defense. We had many chances to score, but Guam scored on their chances.” starting center midfielder Jake Lee said.