TanHoldings clinches M-League title

TanHoldings Football Club players pose for a photo after their title win against Old B Bank, 6-1, in Division A of the M-League Spring 2021 last Sunday at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville. (Contributed Photo)

TanHoldings Football Club crushed Old B Bank, 6-1, to bag the championship in Division A of the M-League Spring 2021 last Sunday at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville.

TanHoldings finished the double-round robin competition with an 11-1-2 win-draw-loss record, foiling MP United Football Club’s bid to steal the division crown. MP United, which posted a 10-2-2 mark after winning its final game of the season against Kanoa Football Club last Thursday, 6-0, would have clinched the top spot in the final team standings had TanHoldings lost to the Old B Bank last weekend.

Five different players scored in TanHoldings’ title-clinching victory with Martin Jambor starting things off for the champion squad after hitting the board in the 12th minute. Brandon Tenorio and Mareko Tekopua also found the back of net in the first half for TanHoldings with their goals in the 18th and 38th minute, respectively.

TanHoldings made it four in a row, courtesy of Ryuto Yanai’s conversion in the 43rd minute, while John Tam ended Old B Bank’s long silence with a goal in the 51st minute. Both teams then went cold for nearly 20 minutes before TanHoldings added two more goals, one came from Old B Bank’s miscue and the other from Michiteru Mita.

With its six goals in last weekend’s match, TanHoldings did not only win the Division A title, but also led the group in goals scored with its 47 goals. Old B’ Bank registered only six goals and was at the bottom of the standings with its 1-1-12 record.

MP United 6, Kanoa 0
MP United settled for the third place honors in the finals rankings despite it shutout victory over Kanoa.

Joshua Abragan fired two goals for MP United, while Razeff Altamirano, Bada Lee, Alan Hinson, and Sunjoon Tenorio added one. MP United collected 35 goals and gave up 12 in 14 games. Kanoa made 19 and yielded 29 after ending the season with a 3-4-7 slate.

NMI U18 A 7, Paire 0
The NMI Boys National U18 Team A placed second in the final team standings after easing past Paire last Sunday.

Kohtaro Goto and Richard Steele made three goals apiece for NMI U18 A, while Akira Kadokura chipped in one. NMI U18 had a 9-5-0 mark this season and was also second in the most goals scored (38) and allowed the least (6).

Paire finished fourth with its 7-1-6 record.

NMI U18 B 3, The One FC 1
The NMI Boys National U18 Team A wrapped up the season with a close victory over The One FC.

Philip Megino, Ezekiel Canape, and Ruben Guerrero delivered one goal apiece for NMI U18 B, which earned four wins in the competition. Ming Guang Xu nailed the lone goal for The One FC, which recorded only two victories this season.