Taking the first win was team Matansa, who edged Paire Football Club 1-0 in the girls’ division’s championship round. A quick goal from Tahlia Hideo was all Matansa needed to survive, leaving their opponents scoreless. Joining Hideo in her team’s roster were Jessica and Jullianne Bigueras, Andrea and Teisha Camacho, Almina Deleon Guerrero, Maria Dizon, Patrishia Echavez, Chelsea Leskosek, Jace Pineda, Natasha Quitano, Tiana Ranjo, Nichelle Ann Sablan, Kimiko Tenorio, and MaryAnn Waing.
In the boys’ 3:30 p.m. game, MP United dominated Paire Football Club – Black 6-1 for first place. MP United’s Jehn Joyner was the first to score, landing a goal in the fifth minute. Paire stayed on the defense taking full-out attacks from Joyner and Chris Park, who tallied two more points in the 14th and 31st minute. MP United’s Andrew Johnson nearly followed up with a head butt but missed the goal post by several inches.
The tired and shorthanded Paires were overwhelmed by the second half, as Daniel Lim joined in on Park and Joyner’s assault. The three scored a goal each, with Park making the final point in the 59th minute. Paire Football Club’s Joel Fruit handed his team an unexpected goal after kicking the ball past goalie Greg Sablan. No substitutions left all Paire players on the field for rest of the match, giving the advantage their foes.
“We executed the plan well,” said MP United’s head coach Norman Del Rosario.
“In the first half, we stuck with our plan, but we had to change our strategy in the second half.” he added.
The key to their victory was communication according to Del Rosario, who refreshed his team in the final minutes with a new group of players.
Earning this season’s ‘Golden Boot’ awards were MP United’s Jehn Joyner, and Matansa’s Andrea Camacho. Joyner scored 17 points in the regular season, in addition to his last two goals against PFC – Black.
Also in MP United were Jordan Butcher Wade, Bryce Daly, Enrico Del Rosario, Dakota Hall, Kennedy Izuka, Angelo Jones, Bob Kim, Aaron and Jake Lee, John Masga, Ha Young and Ha Won Seo, Sam Soledad, John Taisacan, and Ryu Tanzawa.
In the U14 boys’ battle for fifth and sixth place, Matansa won over Independent Football Club by forfeit. Tan Holdings Football Club later defeated Paire Football Club – Red 1-0. MP United placed third in the girls division, beating THFC.
