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MP United FC off to Japan tourney
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Players, coaches, and team managers of MP United pose for a photo after a practice session at the Gaparan Elementary School Field last Tuesday.
MP United Football Club’s delegates to the 2014 Pacific Ocean Cup left Saipan for Japan yesterday afternoon.
The club’s delegation is composed of 13 players, two team managers, and two coaches. Leading MP United FC players’ roster is Sun Joon Tenorio, while Francesca Bucalig, Maaya Sato, Maury Zon Tybaco, Geon Ho Lee, Jon and Gillian Villagomez, Daniele Colombo, Eun Syu Hahn, Edwin Kim, Steven Goodwin, Christian Bravo, and Seung Mok You complete the team. James McAllister coaches the squad, while Chris Park will be his assistant. May Ling Colombo and Angelina Villagomez are the co-team managers.
The 2014 Pacific Ocean Cup will be held this Sunday at the Inno Gotemba in Shizuoka with MP United playing against hosts Vivid Blue A and B, Hamasuka FC, and Yamanakako FC.
“Most of the players on the squad will be competing in an off-island tournament for the first time, while three—Gillian Villagomez, Tenorio, and Kim—have experienced what was it like to compete outside Saipan as members of the CNMI national youth teams. This will be MP United FC’s fourth trip to Japan and the assistant coach of the team (Park) was even part of the first squad (2009) selected to go to Japan,” MP United technical director and vice president Norman Del Rosario said in an email to Saipan Tribune.
Del Rosario added that squad is hoping to keep the Pacific Ocean Cup title, which the club won in 2013 on Saipan against the visiting Vivid Club. MP United downed its sister club from Japan, 3-1, in last year’s finals. Kanoa FC and Tan Holdings also played in the 2013 Pacific Ocean Cup.
“We’ve been telling our players to have fun, enjoy the game, and make a lot of new friends in Japan, but of course we want them to bring the POC Cup back to Saipan,” Del Rosario said, adding that the Japan trip gives players a chance to improve their skills.
“They will see other players’ skills and levels and with these they would know what are the things they need to work on to become better players,” the MP United official said.
Meanwhile, after this weekend’s tournament, MP United will host the second leg of the Pacific Ocean Cup next week, while the club has also lined up a few more off-island tournaments for the different age group teams.
