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MP United U18 returns to Challenge Cup finals
MP United FC U18’s Jehn Joyner kicks the ball with ease as he is left unguarded with two Matansa FC U18 players stepping in late for defense during the second half of their game in the 2014 FA Challenge Cup last Saturday at the Oleai Sports Complex Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
It will be MP United’s fourth straight finals appearance in the annual competition and the club will be gunning for an unprecedented fourth consecutive championship against the winner of the other semis match between MP United U15 and Tan Holdings FC U19. The Norman Del Rosario-coached MP United U18 started its string of title wins in the Challenge Cup in 2011 when it beat sister squad MP United U15, while the two other victories were at the hands of Paire U18 and Tan Holdings U18.
Jirehn Yobech and Tanapon Unsa powered MP United to its fourth successive finals trip after scoring two goals each in last weekend’s semis tiff. Unsa broke the ice for MP United, scoring in the 11th minute and he also nailed the team’s last goal (78th). Yobech goals were both recorded in the second half with his first one registered in the 56th and the second 10 minutes later.
Four other MP United U18 players backed up Unsa and Yobech with Namki Kim canning the team’s second goal in the 22nd minute for their 2-0 halftime edge. MP United then blew the game wide open in the second half with Greg Sablan hitting the board in the 49th minute, Jehn Joyner gaining his lone goal in the 58th, and Chris Park scoring in the 70th.
The game against the hapless Matansa FC U18 was MP United U18’s first in the Challenge Cup. The first finalist drew a bye in the first round after ruling the U18 division, while Matansa had to face Tan Holdings U15 to set up a semis date against MP United U18.
Matansa advanced after a 7-1 triumph over Tan Holdings U15 last Tuesday, also at the Oleai pitch.
Ryu Tanzawa lifted Matansa to the easy win, making a hat-trick with his goals in the fifth, 12th, and 15th minute. Matansa went up, 6-0, at halftime, as Terrence Evan Belcher, Joshua De Leon, and Carlson Cruzat also found their targets in the first half, scoring in the 10th, 24th, and 39th minute, respectively. Corbin Ray Rife drilled Matansa’s lone goal in the second half with his conversion five minutes before the match wrapped up. Tan Holdings, on the other hand, drew its only goal from Jonathan Capayas under the last one minute mark of the game.
Matansa U18, Tan Holdings U15, and MP United U18 are on the west side of the draw, while Tan Holdings U19, Paire U18, and MP United U15 are on the eastern bracket. Results of the matches on the east group will be reported in Saipan Tribune’s Tuesday edition.
