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Guam nips CNMI in Marianas Cup
Players of the CNMI Boys U18 National Team pose for a photo during a send-off ceremony last Friday at Kanoa Resort. The Teen Ayuyus faced the Guam All-Stars in the Marianas Cup 2017 yesterday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center in Dededo. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
The Guam All-Stars nosed out the CNMI Boys U18 National Team, 1-0, during their game in the Marianas Cup 2017 yesterday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center in Dededo.
The Teen Ayuyus held the hosts scoreless in the first half before Guam hit the lone goal in the match in the 52nd minute. Devin Mendiola scored the winning goal—a right cross. The goal came off a broken play, as one of the Guam players went for a long kick. The ball flew over center court and rolled all the way down to the penalty area with three CNMI defenders and two more Guam strikers chasing the leather. One of the Commonwealth’s players then caught up with the ball and made a header. His shot was short and dropped in front of Mendiola, who took a few dribbles before unloading a kick that dropped in.
Now ahead, Guam continued to be aggressive in the remaining minutes of the second half, but the CNMI’s defense this time frustrated the hosts. The Teen Ayuyus also had a couple of attempts, but could not complete the plays.
Meanwhile, Guam’s Women’s National Team had the win in the bag against the CNMI Women’s Team, as the hosts were up, 5-0, with 10 minutes left in the one-sided match. Complete results and other details of the two games in the Marianas Cup will be reported in Saipan Tribune’s Tuesday edition.
In related news, Northern Mariana Islands Football Association president Jerry Tan thanked Guam Football Association for the revival of the Marianas Cup, which was last hosted by Saipan in 2013 before the event took a three-year break.
“Marianas Cup is a very special tournament for us and for Guam. It was our first international/regional competition and there’s always pride at stake every time the two islands play against each other. We thanked Guam for hosting us,” Tan said during the send-off ceremony for the CNMI squads last Friday at Kanoa Resort.
“Guam maybe 30 years ahead of us in terms of starting the soccer program, but we play the same style so it’s always great to play against them to measure our progress. We hope to continue this rivalry and partnership in the coming years,” the NMIFA head added.
