CNMI completes camp, faces Taipei today

It’s time for the CNMI U19 National Team to put into practice what they have learned in the training camp in Chonburi as its starts its bid in the AFC U19 Championship Bahrain 2016 Qualifiers today against Chinese-Taipei.

Players and officials of the CNMI U19 National Team huddle before a training match against Chonburi FC Academy U16 last Friday in Thailand. (Contributed Photo)

The Commonwealth crew capped its five-day training camp last Friday with a scrimmage against Chonburi FC Academy’s U16 squad at the Institute of Physical Education Stadium and left the capital of the Thai province with the same name last Saturday in time for its duel against Chinese-Taipei today at 7pm (10pm Saipan time) at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok.

The Kiyoshi Sekiguchi-coached team lost the match, 1-8, but made some defensive improvements from their 0-6 defeat at the hands of Assumption Christian College last Wednesday. The CNMI’s defense held the Chonburi to one goal in the first half, while Ryu Tanzawa’s goal in the 25th minute forced the deadlock at halftime.

“The team came into the match with a more defensive stance compared to the last match with Assumption School. We dealt with the players available to us and they were all pushed to work hard and try their best. Teamwork, communication, and being compact were part of the game plan,” said team manager Ruselle Zapanta, adding that three players failed to play in the first half of the training match due to different injuries.

The CNMI bets again used the 4-1-4-1 formation in the first half of their game against Chonburi, which took awhile to get its first goal with the visiting squad playing tough defense. Chonburi finally scored in the 16th, but Tanzawa retaliated nine minutes later for the standoff.

“Looking at the score line, we can see the team was much more disciplined defensively in the first half. We drew the match with a goal from Ryu Tanzawa who from a throw in, single handedly dribbled through pressure and took a 25-yard shot over the keeper,” Zapanta said.

In the second half, Chonburi again took time to score, making its second goal with 12 minutes already gone by in the final frame. However, that goal got Chonburi going, as it drilled six more to finish off the CNMI.

“The second half saw both teams make changes which turned the match lopsided. Chonburi went from playing long balls to making lots of nice one-two passes in its final third of the pitch,” Zapanta said.

He added that the Commonwealth’s key players both on the defensive and offensive end had to be pulled out of the match to give them enough rest to recover as the team is scheduled to face Chinese-Taipei in three days.

The CNMI team took a two-hour bus ride from Chonburi to Bangkok and arrived in the host city late Saturday morning.

“After lunch and settling in their rooms, the boys had a session of recovery training in the pool. Scheduled next was a taping of introductions for Thairath TV. Today (last Saturday), we also welcomed our goalkeeper coach Takemoto Suzuki, who arrived from Japan. Our liaison was also scheduled to pick up Hunter Jewell today at the airport (last Saturday),” the team manager said.

The Kansas-based Jewell along with Kennedy Izuka, who left Saipan with physiotherapist Pam Carhill last Saturday morning, were expected to rejoin the squad in their training session at the Rajamangala Stadium yesterday.