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CNMI faces China and Chinese-Taipei
The CNMI’s Jannah Casarino, left, and Kaithlyn Chavez, right, step up on defense against Hong Kong’s Nga Man Nak during the second half of their game in the 2019 East Asian Football Federation U15 Girls Festival last Wednesday at the Mokpo International Football Training Center in South Korea. (East Asian Football Association)
The CNMI Girls U15 National Team wrapped up its pool assignments in the 2019 East Asian Football Federation U15 Girls Festival and will play the final two games at the Mokpo International Football Training Center in South Korea against Chinese-Taipei and China.
The Luem Khen Koo-coach team dueled Hong Kong last Wednesday afternoon with the former British colony cruising to a 5-0 victory to finish No. 1 in Group B with a 3-0-0 win-draw-loss record. The CNMI, Mongolia, and Guam had similar 0-3-0 mark, but the former won the tiebreak due to goal difference (-2). Mongolia (-5) was ranked third, while the Commonwealth (-7) dropped to fourth.
“The girls did their best to hold off Hong Kong. We had a couple of counter attacks and we were also able to have ball possession. Hong Kong was a tough opponent because they had better technical skills compared to our two previous opponents. In addition, they had key players that were able to send a long ball over our defensive line. But regardless, our girls fought as much as possible under the heat and gave everything they could,” team manager Mae Ito said.
Marinel Falalimpa, Julianne Hall, Mary Joy Aniana, Julie Ann Capayas, Pia Ngewakl, Nathanette Blas, Christina Atalig, Kaithlyn Chavez, Allyssya Angeles, Jannah Casarino, and Summer Manahane were the Commonwealth’s starters against Hong Kong.
After playing for three straight days, the CNMI bets took a much-deserved breather yesterday and will return to the pitch today at 6pm (7pm Saipan time) to face Chinese-Taipei, which lost all its three matches in Group A.
Then tomorrow, the Commonwealth players will close out their campaign in the EAFF event against China, which finished pool play with a 2-0-1 mark, the same record South Korea and Japan had. Japan won the tiebreak (12 goal difference), while South Korea settled for the No. 2 spot.
The CNMI did a little bit of scouting after its game against Hong Kong last Wednesday, as players were allowed to watch the Chinese-Taipei and China match. China crushed its foe, 7-0, while Guam had a draw against Macau in the last game of the night, 2-2.
The CNMI’s Christina Atalig pushes the ball away from Hong Kong defenders during their game in the 2019 East Asian Football Federation U15 Girls Festival last Wednesday at the Mokpo International Football Training Center in South Korea. (East Asian Football Federation)
