By Kyle Terwilliger
Variety News Staff

THE first annual Marianas Cup took place on Sunday April 1st as the Women’s National team took on Central Northern Marianas Islands. The game is the first of many international games to come this year for the Women’s National team.
Guam was led by Victoria Shimizu and Diedre Weekly who score a combined five of the seven goals by Guam. The game began a very good defensive game for CNMI but Diedre Weekly was able to score the first goal of the game in the 43rd minute when Joi Abarintos crossed the ball from the left and Weekly would chest it in for the goal. Two minutes later Victoria Shimizu would be blocked by CNMI’s goalie Rebecca Newman, but Weekly would be there to put in her second goal of the day, putting Guam up 2-0 going into the half. Guam would come out strong in the second half led by the hat trick of Victoria Shimizu.
Joi Abarintos and Gebra Naburn would also score goals in the second half on Guam’s way to a shut out. Guam would win the first annual Marianas Cup and would hoist an amazing fifty pound trophy made from Chinese Eagle Wood. GFA president joked at the press conference saying, “The reason why we made the trophy so heavy, we know that the trophy is going to stay here on Guam.” This game was essentially set up for both teams to gain some international experience.
GFA president Richard Lai and NMIFA president Jerry Tan decided to create the Marianas Cup. This will be an annual event that will switch sites between Guam and Saipan. Guam will be hosting the Preliminary Competition for the EAFF Women’s Football Championship 2008.
The preliminary competition is set for July 8th through July 12th 2007 and will be held at the Leopalace Resort Guam and the winner will join China, Japan, and Korea Republic in Chongqing, China in February of 2008. CNMI will not be eligible for the 2008 EAFF Football Championship because of how new their National Team is.
This will be the first time that the EAFF will hold any kind of Preliminary Matches here on Guam. Guam will be looking for the home field advantage to propel them to the Football Championship in February.