Tan Holdings U12 unbeaten in Guam

The ASC Trust Islanders’ Javian Cruz, center, attempts to steal the ball ahead of Tan Holdings FC’s Thaipi Austria during a friendly U12 division match at the Guam Football Association National Training Center last Sunday. (Guam Football Association)

The visiting squad, which was composed of Angelo Bergancia, Emalyn Aniana, Floyd Muna, Franz De Ramos, John Ezikiel and John Guiller Canape, John Michael Rojas, Kyla Mei Tuazon, Luis Claridades, Matt Moran, Kohtaro Goto, Jenny Ann Capayas, and Thaipi Austria, earned a 3-1-0 win-draw-loss record in its first off-island competition with its three victories recorded in lopsided fashion.

Tan Holdings U12 started its campaign in the two-day event with a 6-0 crushing of Sidekicks. The team, which was co-coached by Mico Moran and Bogs Tanghal, went up, 4-0, at halftime with all four goals registered in the first 10 minutes of play. Austria opened the club’s string of goals, scoring at the 2:30 mark of the first half, while Rojas tallied the second one in the seventh minute. John Guiller also hit the board a minute later, followed by Bergancia at the 9:36 mark.

The 2014 NMIFA Youth Fall League’s co-ed U12 champion then continued to dominate Sidekicks in the second half, as Claridades made it 5-0 with his goal in the third minute and change and Austria got his second goal 10 minutes before the 60-minute match wrapped up.

After its win over Sidekicks in the morning match, Tan Holdings U12 returned to the pitch in the afternoon to challenge Strykers and the visiting team won anew in another convincing fashion, 10-1.

Again, Tan Holdings started like a house on fire, building a 5-0 advantage at halftime. Austria kicked off the scoring with his back-to-back goals (1:55 and 3:45), while Roxas also had a brace, drilling he team’s last two goals in the first half (20:05 and 21:23). Goto contributed one goal in the first 30 minutes of play, as he found the back of the net in the 15th minute.

Tan Holdings went on to duplicate its first-half output in the second, with Rojas getting his third straight goal (8:55) and adding one more five minutes before the match ended. John Guiller Canape and De Ramos also scored in the second half, which Tan Holdings capped with Bergancia’s goal with just five seconds left on the clock. Earlier in the 24th minute, the Strykers scored its lone goal to avoid a shutout.

After giving up one goal in its second game, Tan Holdings U12 showed no mercy in handing the ASC Trust Islanders a 5-0 spanking in the Sunday morning match.

Austria starred in the win with his hat-trick, highlighted by his first goal just 45 seconds into the first half. It was the fastest goal recorded in the friendly games. Austria’s two other goals were made in the 22nd and 50th minute, while Rojas chipped in two, one each in the first (18:30) and second (44:02) half.

For its afternoon game and the final, the visiting squad faced the tough Wolverines, who are ranked second in the GFA youth league with its 7-2-1 win-draw-loss record.

Coach Moran said the final match was the hardest, as the Wolverines scored first and they have a lot of tall and quick players. The Wolverines went ahead at halftime, 2-1, as Tan Holdings struggled offensively in the majority of the first half before Austria hit his mark with just five minutes left on the clock.

“The ball hit Emalyn Aniana’s body during the first half and she was hurt, but she did not want to go out of the pitch. She continued playing. At the halftime break, I used her as an example to encourage other players to step up. I told them that even though she’s hurt, she still wants to play and fight. Everyone should continue fighting until the final buzzer, give their 100% performance, and play as a team,” Moran said.

When the game resumed, the Wolverines were the first ones to score again, however Tan Holdings finished strong, notching two more goals to force a draw and keep the club’s undefeated record. Austria scored one of the two goals with the other one courtesy off a Wolverines’ error. The lucky break for Tan Holdings started with Rojas making a corner kick and the ball bouncing off the hands of the Wolverines goalie and then hitting the head of their defender before the leather went in.

“Despite facing a1-3 deficit, our team just did not give up. They were very tired, but they gave their best in the second half,” Moran added.