THFC’s Kohtaro Gotto rushes after the ball to finish the offensive play during Friday’s game in the U19 Boys Division of the Youth League Spring 2020 at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville. Photo by James F. Sablan Jr.
TanHoldings seemed to have everything under control as its players moved the ball in sync to create shot opportunities. It was the lob passes that took MPU by surprise as THFC placed the ball perfectly without being called for the offside despite a few close calls. THFC was finally rewarded at the 17th minute mark with Mark Esalan speeding past defenders for the finish and the goal.
MPU tried to close gaps but its players were bamboozled by yet another up and over tactic as Kohtaro Goto scored his team’s second goal to give THFC a 2-0 lead.
But MPU was not to be counted out, and it returned to the second half as a different team. THFC defended well but MPU’s relentlessness eventually wore them down with Geonhom Lee finding an opening at the 66th minute mark to score and reduce THFC’s lead, 1-2.
MPU still struggled to get even for nearly 20 minutes. But its players were able to give it one final push during the last few minutes of the game as John Bucayo stole the spotlight with a shocking goal to end the game in a 2-2 draw.
