MP United defeats Matansa FC in boys U16

In a star-studded game between Matansa Football Club and MP United Football Club, MP United dominated the field, winning the game, 3-1, in Week 1 of the TakeCare Youth Soccer League Fall 2022 at the Northern Marianas Soccer Training Center in Koblerville last Sept. 24.

Five out of the 16 MP United FC players are in the NMI U17 Men’s National Soccer Team that is playing in Australia for the Asian Football Confederation U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers which includes Casey Chambers, Cody Shimizu, Takeru Jim, Tristan Raho, and Miles Linden. In the opposing team, three out of 20 players in the Matansa FC roster—Jack Paul Lizama, Nolan Ngewakl, and Wataru Kodukora—are in the national team as well.

The match started off slow and quiet, with the boys on both ends trying to get the feel of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Only in the 45th minute of the game did Matansa’s Kodokura draw first blood for what will be the only goal of the team.

MP United struggled to find the back of the net, with the ball zooming in and out of the Matansa’s defenders, as they continued to look for an opening. Fifty-two minutes into the game, MP United’s Cody Shimizu found his footing and a hole in the goalie’s defense and scored the first goal for his team. He was followed by teammates Casey Chambers and Jayden Lim who scored goals in the 67th and the 70th minute, respectively.

Matansa was unable to reply as they were silenced for the rest of the game and lost, 1-3.

With this game, MP United is at one win and no loss and Matansa is at no win and one loss.

Tan Holdings FC 3, Shirley’s 0 In the other boys U16 game of the day, Tan Holdings FC beat Shirley’s FC via forfeit, 3-0.

Seven out of the 15 Tan Holdings players are in the U17 National Team as well and includes Mark Jainier Chavez, Anthony Bergancia, Anthony Austria, Jonne Navarro, Monico Claridades, Mark Ryan Costales, and Zhi Xiang Lin.

With this game, Tan Holdings has one win and no loss, and Shirley’s has one loss and no win.

Results of the ongoing TakeCare Youth Soccer League Fall 2022 U13 boys and girls competitive division and week two results for both the U16 and U13 divisions will be posted in the next editions of Saipan Tribune.

Published by Saipan Tribune - Oct 04 2022