The NMI Women’s National Team debuted strong in the NMIFA Women’s U21 Three Nations Cup with a 1-0 win over Mongolia at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville last Tuesday.
In front of the home crowd, the NMI women’s team put on a show that brought pride and joy to those in attendance.
After a battle on the pitch that favored mostly the NMI team with more possessions and chances at the goal, Jannah Casarino put her best foot forward once again and let one fly past Mongolia’s keeper Tumurbat Zambaga in the 66th minute of the second half for a 1-0 advantage.
Before and after that goal, the NMI had opportunities to blow the game wide open but weren’t capitalized on. They either couldn’t follow through or were trigger happy and overshot the goal.
The one-goal lead then hung in the balance for the final 24 minutes as Mongolia tried to even it up. But the NMI’s defenses held and they notched their first win in the opening game of the tourney, even as an extra four minutes were added towards the end of the match.
Casarino also scored the lone goal in the previous LPK Cup 2024 last week that led to their 1-0 win over Philippines’ Tuloy FC Women’s Team.
This was not the first time the NMI team beat Mongolia. They last beat them in December, 4-3, during the Women’s EAFF E-1 Football Championships Preliminary Competition in Zhuhai, China.
With their win in this tourney, NMI team captain Dianne Pablo said, “it feels good especially in front of the crowd. And I think it adds confidence to the girls.” She said that playing at home feels “very nice” as they don’t really have opportunities to do so. “It’s to our advantage of course and it gives us a lot more confidence to play in front of everyone we know.”
As this wasn’t their first time to play against and beat Mongolia, Pablo said that heading into the match, they were pretty confident. “We didn’t find a lot of familiar faces this time around. There were a lot of young people. But we were very confident because we beat them the last time and we’ve been working really hard for this and working on our craft. We’ve been having a lot of friendly matches to prepare for this and so we were confident that we were going to have a good game today,” she said.
With this first game and win out of the way, Pablo said this definitely sets the tone for the team in the rest of the tourney. “It sets the tone really, really high, because it’s the first game out of four. And yeah, it just gives us more pressure to do better.”
In their previous matches which were just friendly games, Pablo was asked what the difference is now that this event is not a friendly one. “It’s more intense today—more expectations. We have a goal this time: we have to win; the previous friendlies were a good warm up and it’s good preparation for us. Our end goal is this tournament to show whatever we learned in training and all the matches,” she said. “So, this has more pressure.”
Against Guam in the 2024 Marianas Friendlies tourney last April, the women’s team suffered a loss and a last-minute draw. When asked how their mindset is now and how they will tackle their matches against their rival this time around, Pablo said, “we definitely know now what we need to work on against that team. We know a lot of familiar faces. As long as we have confidence and stick to our strengths and work on our weaknesses, I think we’ll be good.”
Participating teams in this tourney—NMI, Mongolia, and Guam—will challenge each other twice and the squad with the most points (based on win-draw-loss standings) will win the Three Nations Cup.
The NMI Women’s National Team with Casarino includes keeper Deseha Mendiola, Christina Atalig, Dianne Pablo, Khristelle Itaas, Julie Chavez, Jannah Casarino, Andrei Kaithlyn Chavez, Pia Ngewakl, Raven Anderson, Bernadette Horey, Tamia Kileleman-Hix. The substitutes include Mariana Angeles, Aubrey Castro, Megan Elayda, Sophia Quintos, Tyana Kileleman-Hix, Joselyn Atalig, and Toremy Baek. The head coach is Koo Luam Khen.
Mongolia is made up of Zambaga, Ganbolor Tumenjargal, Enerel Sukhbat, Sarangua Boldbaatar, Khaliut Mungkhgarid, Anundari Khasgaa, Oyun-Erdene Bayaraa, Ariunzaya Khanidkhuu, Odon-Erdene Unenbat, Buyandelger Baatarsuren, and Chantsal Bayasgalant. The substitutes consists of Khongordagina Purevynyam, Binderiya Davaasuren, Gantigmaa Chuluuntsend, Oyudari Uyanga, Oyuntuguldur Batsaikhan, Oyuntogos Mart, Nomin Uyanga, Munkhzul Tumurbaatar, and Gankhishig Ganbold. Their head coach is Davaalkhagva Erdene-Ochir.
Last night, Mongolia took on Guam, with results to follow. Tonight, the NMI is going head-to-head against rival Guam at 6pm. Catch the action at the NMISTC in Koblerville.
Published by Saipan Tribune – July 25, 2024