NMI’s Pia Ngewakl dribbles past a Guam defender during a friendly match over the weekend at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville.
THE NMI women’s team lost their first match against Guam, but drew the second during the 2024 Marianas Friendlies held over the weekend at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville.
The dreaded first-game jitters haunted the NMI on Saturday as they were silenced by Guam, 3-0.
Guam was in control of most of the possessions, but NMI held their own for the first 20 minutes before they were eventually overwhelmed by the visiting team’s constant pressure on both ends of the field. Guam created an opening at the 22nd minute mark, allowing Anjelica Perez to finding the back of the net to seize the lead, 1-0.
Guam continued to ride the momentum and were rewarded once again at the 34th minute mark as Giselle Dahilig extended their lead before halftime, 2-0.
The NMI improved their defensive coverage in the second half, but they still struggled on offense with only a handful of attempts made.
Guam picked their shots carefully and managed to break through at the 82nd minute mark with Anna Jones slipping through the cracks to solidify their victory, 3-0.
Game two
In their second match against Guam on Sunday, the NMI redeemed themselves by fighting harder and playing better.
Guam was the first to draw blood with Yae Kawauchi connecting a shot at the 41st minute mark for the only goal of the first half, 1-0.
The NMI reassessed their strategy during the halftime break and returned to the second half with grit and determination.
After a series of back-and-forth action, the NMI was given the opportunity to score in a penalty kick situation. Jannah Casarino the delivered to even the score, 1-1. Then at the 85th minute mark, they struck again with Pia Ngewakl exploding off the break to sink the shot and take the lead, 2-1.
The NMI seemed to have the win in the palm of their hands. However, during the extra three minutes of play, Guam managed to clear a line of sight for India Sheppard who fired and connected to deny the NMI a win as the gamed ended in a 2-2 draw.
“The NMI women’s team showed resilience and adaptability in their matches against Guam despite the initial setback,” NMI Coach Mae Ito said. “While the results may not have been [what we] desired, these games served as a valuable reminder that progress is not always linear and that competition is constantly evolving, as demonstrated by Guam’s performance.”
Ito added, “These friendlies serve as valuable opportunities to assess individual skills and tactical understanding within the team, which is essential for ongoing development. With a positive mindset and continued dedication, the team is poised to learn from these experiences and grow stronger as they prepare for upcoming tournaments and friendlies. The journey ahead is challenging, but the team remains focused on rising to the occasion.”
The NMI men, for their part, drew their first game against Guam, 2-2, and won the second, 2-1.
