Previous Story
Borja gives CNMI lone goal in Beijing
The CNMI U14 Girls National Team avoided a shutout in the AFC U14 Girls Regional Championships (East) 2015 after scoring one goal in its loss to Hong Kong last Thursday at the National Football Training Centre in Beijing, China.
Members of the CNMI U14 Girls National Team pose for a group photo before playing against Hong Kong in their last game in the AFC U14 Girls Regional Championships (East) 2015 last Thursday at the National Football Training Centre in Beijing, China. (Contributed Photo)
Starting forward Guinevere Borja handed the Commonwealth its lone goal in the Asian Football Confederation-sanctioned competition, finding the back of the net with only seven minutes left in the match. Hong Kong recorded two goals in the first half and added one more in the second, but failed to blank the CNMI crew, thanks to Borja’s shot in the closing minutes of the game.
“Though we gave up two goals in the first half, the CNMI had the most possessions in the second half and our girls fought until the end,” team manager Angie Ito said in a message posted on the squad’s unofficial website.
Joining Borja on the Commonwealth’s Starting 11 were goalie Toremy Diaz, Jerlyn Castillo, Princess Alcantara, Samantha Manacop, Lyka and Angelica Sally, Katrina Costales, Gillian Villagomez, Ericka Santiago, and Anela Duenas. Jobelle Tabuena was the only substitute in the Chi Ming Tang-coached team’s last game in Group B.
The three goals Hong Kong hit were the least the CNMI team allowed in the tournament. The Commonwealth bets, who returned to Saipan early Sunday morning, gave up 15 to host China and 17 to North Korea.
North Korea went on to clinch the East championship after downing China last Saturday, 2-0. Choe Kum-ok scored the first goal for the eventual champion in the 54th minute, while Pang Un-sim nailed the other one off a penalty kick in the 70th.
North Korea marched into the finals after shutting down Japan in the semis, 3-0, while China also eased past South Korea, 4-1, in the other Final Four pairing. Japan and South Korea, which were in Group A, battled for third place with the former winning, 4-1. Guam, which completed Group A, dropped all its three matches, and was the lone team that failed to score in last week’s competition.
