Tan Holdings, Sun Palace still ahead

Players of the Let’s Go-sponsored Tan Holdings FC pose for a photo before a game in Division 1 of the M-League at the Oleai Sports Complex Field.
(Contributed Photo)

Tan Holdings is still the pacesetter in Division 1 of the 2016 M-League after getting another win last Sunday at the Oleai Sports Complex Field.

Tan Holdimgs shut down Korean Football Association on Saipan, 3-0, to improve to a 5-1-1 record, two wins ahead of idle Paire/Inter Godfather’s (3-2-2). KFAS has the same record as Paire/Inter, but slid to third place in the five-team field after having only 15 goals against the second-ranked squad’s 21.

Tan Holdings has the most goals so far with 23 after Martin Jambor added two in their game against KFAS and Sukinari Fumikazu chipped in one. Fumikazu put the division leader on the board in the 25th minute, while Jambor recorded his first goal in the 34th for Tan Holdings’ 2-0 halftime edge. Jambor’s second goal came in the 61st.

Besides the KFAS-Tan Holdings tiff, MP United and Matansa were also scheduled to play last Sunday, but results of first Division 1 game were unavailable at press time. Pending the results of their game, MP United is still in fourth place in the team standings with its 2-3-1 mark, while Matansa is at the cellar with its dismal 0-0-7 card.

Meanwhile, in Division 2, Sun Palace also kept the top spot after earning a 5-1 victory over the CNMI Women’s National Team.

Sun Palace now has a 7-1-1 mark to pace Shirley’s (5-2-3), Kanoa (4-2-3), World Resort (4-2-4), Thundercats (2-4-4), and the WNT (1-1-8).

Jun Sik Kim towed Sun Palace to its seventh win after scoring a hat-trick against the WNT. He opened Sun Palace’s scoring with his goal in the second, while the last two were also logged in the first half and came in back-to-back fashion, as he lit up the board in the 14th and 22nd. Sang Ho Choi registered the other goal for Sun Palace in the first half with his shot in the seventh minute, while Suehee Chung closed out for the team with his conversion in the 47th.

The WNT avoided a shutout when Diana Maniacop found the back of the net in the 68th.

In the two other games in Division 2, Shirley’s and the Thundercats settled for a scoreless draw, while Kanoa coasted to a 5-1 triumph over World Resort.

Keeanu Diaz knocked in a pair for Kanoa, while Davy Laxa, Ho Jin Woo, and Brent Azarcon added one goal apiece. Santa Tamang nailed the lone goal for World Resort.