MP United, TanHoldings prevail

MP United Football Club’s William Sosa, right, takes a shot in front of Matansa Football Club’s James Loveras during their co-ed U13 division game in the 2020 NMIFA Spring Youth League last Saturday at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

TanHoldings Football Club took the early lead, while MP United battled back from a season opening loss as action in the co-ed U13 division of the 2020 NMIFA Spring Youth League continued last Saturday at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville.

TanHoldings cruised past Kanoa Football Club, 9-0, to gain its second victory in as many games and moved on top of the team standings. MP United, on the other hand, downed Matansa, 4-2, to recover from a 1-2 defeat at the hands of TanHoldings during the opening week of the league.

Ian Song drilled a pair of goals, while William Sosa and Miles Linden added one apiece to put MP United on the win column. Song hit back-to-back goals for MPU with his first coming in the 13th minute and giving MP United the upper hand. Five minutes later, Matansa’s Nolan Ngewakl knotted the count and the game remained in a standoff at the end of the first half.

In the second half, Song again delivered with his shot in the 37th minute, while Sosa gave MP United more cushion after finding the back of the net in the 48th minute. Ngewakl then threatened MP United with his conversion in 56th minute, but the eventual winning team got the goal back quickly, courtesy of Linden in the 59th, to seal the deal.

Meanwhile, TanHoldings pulled away from the winless Kanoa Resort in the second half en route to getting win No. 2 and the early lead in the division.

Kaithlyn Chavez led the rout with her hat trick, two of them were recorded in the second half breakaway. Mark Costales and Jared Villagomez contributed two goals apiece, while Matty Angeles and Monico Claridades chipped in one each.

BOYS U16 DIVISION
Kanoa 5, MP United 1
Kanoa also earned its second victory in as many matches in the boys U16 division after easing past MP United last weekend.

Five different players scored for Kanoa with Markus Toves getting the ball rolling for the team with his shot in the 18th minute. Andrew Sablan, Brian Lubao, Merrick Toves, and Jaydee Jose hit the board in the 24th, 45th, 52nd, and 70th minute, respectively, while MP United’s lone goal came from Dev Bachani in the 67th.

TanHoldings 5, Matansa 3
TanHoldings matched Kanoa’s record after outclassing Matansa in the other game in the division.

Mark Joseph Roque handed TanHoldings twin goals, while Ariel Narvaez, Oliver Fajardo, and Kohtaro Goto made one apiece. Gabriel Arkoh, Rakid Hassan, and Alex Megino scored the three goals for Matansa, which absorbed its second loss in as many matches to join MP United at the bottom of the team standings.