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CNMI debuts vs NKorea in AFC tourney
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Posted on Apr 24 2012
The CNMI U14 National Team will be playing its first game in the AFC U-14 Boys’ Festival of Football for East Asia against North Korea today in Beijing, China.
The Commonwealth strikers will face the tough North Koreans at 10:30am (12:30pm on Saipan) at the China National Football Training Center and will play two more games in the opening day of the four-day competition. Next up for the CNMI is Chinese-Taipei at 3pm and Guam at 4:30pm.
Suiting up for the CNMI in Beijing are 22 players led by 2011 East Asian Football Federation U15 Youth Tournament veterans Dakota Hall, William Hinson II, Jordan Butcher-Wade, Joel Fruit, and Kennedy Izuka. Completing the team are Carlson Cruzat, Alan Hinson, Christopher Aninzo, Daniel and John Auther, Julian Pellegrino, Won-Young Kim, Jeremie Tanghal, Gideon Borja, John Masga, Louie Calayag, Emmanuel Aniana, Ryu Tanzawa, Moris Villanueva, Joshua Galarion, James Ermitanio, and Wataru Takima. Kiyoshi Sekiguchi is coaching the team.
The 22 players were selected from a pool that underwent a series of tryouts for several months and they left Saipan for Beijing early Sunday morning.
“Our team is up against very good squads like North Korea, Japan, and Chinese-Taipei. These teams are tough to beat as they have been competing in AFC events for so many years. As for Mongolia, Macau, and Guam, I believe we can keep up with them as their players have less or no experience like most of our players,” Sekiguchi said in an interview with Saipan Tribune during their final training session last Thursday at the Hopwood Junior High School Field.
“Playing against top caliber teams like Japan will give our young players the feel of competing against players with very high level skills. This is good for them, they will learn a lot from the tournament,” he added.
The CNMI will not be facing Japan until this Saturday when they collide at 8:30am. Then on Sunday, the Commonwealth bets will have two games, as they duel North Korea again at 8:30am and Mongolia at 11:30am.
Before the weekend games, the CNMI U14 National team will play against China tomorrow at 11:15am and then face Guam anew at 3pm. For the Commonwealth’s last game in Day 2, it will challenge Macau at 4:30pm.
