TanHoldings, Kanoa keep division leads

Paire Football Club’s George Shokarev, left, is defended by MP United’s Skyler Poon during the second half of their boys U14 division game in the NMIFA youth league last Saturday at the Kobleville Elementary School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

TanHoldings Football Club and Kanoa FC boosted their title bids after keeping the top spots in their respective divisions in the 2016 NMIFA Youth Fall League.

TanHoldings is still ahead in the boys U14 age group after a 6-1 victory over the second-running Kanoa last Saturday at the Kobleville Elementary School Field. The division leader moved two wins ahead of Kanoa as TanHoldings now has a 6-0-0 win-draw-loss record. Kanoa fell to a 4-0-2 mark

Mark Esalan paced TanHoldings’ sixth win as he nailed two goals, while John Paul Cruz, Kirro Batino, Thaiphi Austria, and Reginald Pascual contributed one goal apiece. Esalan knocked in his first goal in the 22nd minute and his second and last in the 53rd.

Cruz was the other TanHoldings player to score in the first half with his shot in the 34th minute, while Batino, Austria, and Pascual hit the board in the 37th, 40th, and 68th minute, respectively. Jhoey Noble tallied the lone goal for Kanoa in the 34th minute.

TanHoldings has four games left in the double-round robin fall season and must win at least two to take the division championship.

Matansa 7, Shirley’s 1
Matansa earned its second victory this season after dominating the winless Shirley’s FC.

Matansa (2-0-4) drew four goals from Lolobeyong Benito for the easy triumph. Joshua Malig and Justin Charles Achas registered the two other goals for Matansa. Shirley’s (0-0-6), on the other hand, got its only goal from Tyneth Santos.

Meanwhile, MP United was awarded a win via forfeiture against Paire in the final game in the division last weekend.

Actually, Paire had the lead after the one-hour match, 4-1, but was not handed the victory as its players failed to show their NMIFA IDs before the match. Tournament rules call for all players to present their IDs before each game.

The two goals apiece of Paire’s Kaden Church and Jamin Elliot were nullified. Rintaro Miyawaki scored for MP United. Paire and MP United hold similar 3-0-3 records.

CO-ED U12
Kanoa 5, TanHoldings 3
Kanoa edged TanHoldings in their game at the Hopwood Junior High School Field to retain its shaky lead in the division.

Kanoa owns a 5-0-1 record, just a win ahead of MP United-1 (4-0-1). TanHoldings has a 1-1-4 mark.

TanHoldings was still in the game after the first half as Kohtaro Goto canned in the equalizer in the 25th minute. Earlier in the 13th minute, Daniel Pablo put Kanoa on the board. Kanoa then managed to take full control of the match in the second half behind the hat trick of Brian Lubao and a goal from John Mark Anastacio. Goto had three goals, too but his two shots in the second half were not enough to lead TanHoldings to an upset against the division leader.

MP United-2 8, Paire 6
MP United-2 broke into the win column after its first four failed attempts as it stunned the third-ranked Paire in the other game in the division.

Seal Gil towed MP United-2 to its first victory of the season after firing seven goals in succession. He started his string of goals in the seventh minute, while his last six came in the 20th, 25th, 38th, 39th, 49th, and 58th. MP United-2’s other goal was courtesy of Leo Takahashi’s shot in the second minute.

Dylan Mister had five goals on a losing effort for Paire, while Maui Johnson chipped in one.