Shirley’s FC, Matansa top foes

A Kanoa FC player, third left, tries to break free from TanHoldings FC defenders during their girls U15 division game in the NMIFA youth fall league last Saturday at the Francisco Mendiola Sablan Middle School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Defending champion Shirley’s Football Club passed an early test in the girls U15 division of the 2016 NMIFA Youth Fall League after outclassing Matansa FC, 6-4, last Saturday at the Francisco Mendiola Sablan Middle School Field.

Shirley’s and Matansa are the favored teams this season and both came from victories in their opening games. They collided in the last game in Week 2 and Shirley’s win and 2-0-0 card put the squad on top of the standings in the five-team field. Matansa fell to third place with its 1-0-1 win-draw-loss record.

Katrina Costales, Lillian Podziewski, Diana Manacop, and Jasmin Phan collaborated in lifting Shirley’s to its second victory in as many games. Costales broke the ice for Shirley’s as she found the back of the net in the 10th minute. Four minutes later, it was Podziewski’s turn to light up the board and she made it back-to-back after scoring anew in the 20th.

While Shirley’s managed to hit three straight goals in a span of 10 minutes, Matansa got only one, courtesy of Guinevere Borja’s conversion in the 24th minute. Shirley’s then completed its good showing in the first half with another goal—this time from Manacop—who made it to the board in the 29th minute to power her team to a 4-1 advantage.

After a so-so performance in the first half, Matansa was able to find its rhythm in the second half, logging three more goals, but Shirley’s countered with two to keep its safe distance and foil the former’s comeback bid.

Angelica Sally handed Matansa its second goal, while Borja got her second and the team’s third, while Lysa Sally scored last for their squad. As for Shirley’s side, Costales and Phan added one apiece in the final 35 minutes of play.

In the first game in the division, Kanoa FC had a strong season debut after shutting down TanHoldings, 7-0.

Toremy Diaz towed Kanoa to the lopsided victory after recording four goals, while Paulyn Joyce, Hannah Santos, and Brittany Wally chipped in one apiece. Kanoa, with its victory, is in second place in the team standings, while TanHoldings is at the bottom after dropping to a 0-0-2 slate. Idle MP United (0-0-1) completes the field.

Diaz sparked Kanoa’s blowout win with a goal in the eighth minute and she ended what she started, knocking in the team’s last two goals (41st minute and 64th.) Her second goal came in the 23rd. Joyce scored in the ninth minute, while Santos and Wally hit their targets in the 36th and 38th, respectively.

Meanwhile, Kanoa will vie for its second straight triumph when it faces Matansa in the second game this Saturday at 3pm. In the curtain-raiser at 1:30pm, MP United will return to the pitch to duel TanHoldings FC.