Paire, TanHoldings on top

Paire Football Club’s Robbie Schorr, left, tries to keep control of the ball, while Matansa’s Gabriel Arkoh Jr. moves closer on defense during the second half of their Division A game in the 2018 Fall M-League last Sunday at the Oleai Sports Complex Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Weekend action in the 2018 Fall M-League resumed last Sunday with Paire Football Club and TanHoldings FC picking up where they left off to share the top spot in Division A.

Paire crushed Matansa, 8-1, in the second game at the Oleai Sports Complex, while over at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville, TanHoldings downed the debuting Korean Football Association on Saipan, 5-2. Paire and TanHoldings now hold similar 2-0-0 win-draw-loss records to lead idle MP United (1-0-0), Kanoa (1-0-1), KFAS (0-0-1), Old B Bank (0-0-2), and Matansa (0-0-2).

TanHoldings and Paire got their first win over Old B Bank and Matansa, respectively, during the opening week of the league, which did not have matches last Oct. 7 to give way to the Marianas Cup and Oct. 14 due to bad weather.

When Paire retuned to the pitch, Daniel Agulto and Joe Miller powered their team to a lopsided win over the hapless Matansa as they scored three goals each. Agulto drew first blood for Paire with his goal in the 16th minute, made his second in the 20th, and completed the hat trick in the 79th. Miller, on the other hand, registered this three goals in the 17th, 35th, and 83rd minute. Brad Ruszala and Jack Unsa also hit the board for Paire with the former earning his goal in the 31st minute and the latter in the 50th. Jacob Sabino knocked in the lone goal for the winless Matansa in the 42nd minute.

Meanwhile, TanHoldings drew goals from four different players to beat KFAS. John Michael Rojas had a pair after scoring in the 22nd and 51st minute, while Razeff Altamirano, Emanuel Aniana, and Jersh Angeles lit up the board in the 14th, 31st, and 75th, respectively.

KFAS got its two goals from Sunjoon Tenorio (80th minute) and Junsik Kim (85th minute).

In other results in Division A, Kanoa FC entered the win column after shutting down Old B Bank, 2-0.

Ronnel Ocanada handed Kanoa its first goal in the 32nd minute, while Brian Lubao posted the second and last one in the 73rd.

DIVISION B
Sun Palace 3, Shirley’s 1
Sun Palace took the solo lead in Division B after topping Shirley’s in the last game at the NMISTC.

Young Ha Hwang found the back of the net early with his goal in the second minute and he made it two in a row after scoring in the 28th. Alan Wong delivered the other goal for Sun Palace in the 50th minute, while Shirley’s drew its only goal in the match from Irish Pagarao in the 12th.

WNT 3, PIC 1
In the other game in the division, the CNMI Women’s National Team bagged win No. 1 after outclassing Pacific Islands Club.

The WNT took the victory after playing better in the second half, which ended with PIC holding a shaky lead, 1-0, after John Ezekiel Canape scored in the 40th minute. Katrina Costales tied the match with her goal in the 48th minute, while Jeralyn Castillo put the WNT on top after hitting her target in the 70th. Three minutes later, Guine Borja gave the WNT the insurance, while PIC failed to counter to remain winless in three games.