Despite a string of losses from the hosting country as well as Guam and Hong Kong, team CNMI triumphed in their final match this past week.
It’s a “great historical victory for us,” said Northern Marianas Islands Football Association general secretary and team manager Edward Salas in an email.
“Macau scored first but less than two minutes later Jirech [Yobech] was open on the corner and gave a terrific cross shot to Jehn [Joyner] near the goal.
Joyner eventually scored and evened the game, 1-1 in the first half. In almost no time, both Dakota Hall and Jehn Joyner mustered team CNMI’s second point
“Needless to say, the boys are very happy and the celebration has begun,” added Salas.
The CNMI strikers played their last game in the Taipei Municipal Stadium, one of three venues for the event.
Also joining the tournament was the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
This year’s 15U national team included: Jordan Butcher, Enrico Del Rosario, Ethan Dickinson, Kenneth Domingo, Gregzon Fontanilla, Joel and Mason Fruit, Dakota Hall, William Hinson II, Kennedy Izuka, Hunter Jewell, Andrew Johnson, Angelo Jones, Jehn Joyner, Jake Lee, Sean Perez, John Taisacan, and Jirech Yobech.
Prior to their competition, the group stayed in Japan for a two-day mini-camp.
CNMI vs. Guam
Team CNMI played their fourth game versus Guam last Saturday, falling 3-0.
“After down two goals in the first half, starting striker Jehn Joyner faked out Guam’s defender and crossed the ball into the box to CNMI’s right midfielder, Jireh Yobech,” said Northern Marianas Islands Football Association official Carrie Schuler in an email to Variety.
Yobech scored what may have been the team’s first goal in the tournament, but an offside foul was called.
“It was a closer game than any other game we’ve had,” noted starting center midfielder Jake Lee. “Our defense was good, but Guam found some cracks in our defense. We had many chances to score, but Guam scored on their chances.”
Team Guam eventually scored their third goal while the CNMI strikers “retained their fighting spirit” in the second half.
“On a breakaway toward Guam’s goal, Joyner was fouled, setting Dakota Hall up for a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box. Unfortunately, the left-footer’s shot was blocked by Guam’s four-man wall,” continued Schuler.
CNMI vs. DPR Korea
Meanwhile, the CNMI strikers had earlier lost to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, 22-0.
DPR Korea, described by Schuler as the “potential tournament champion,” went scoreless in the first 14 minutes before pulling away.
In a comparison between Korea and their previous opponents – Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong – starting defender John Taisacan said, “I feel this team is stronger than the other two. We tried our best and we did better this game than the other two games.”
Team CNMI focused on the defense, playing a “5-4-1 formation” for the second game in a row, according to Schuler.
CNMI vs. Hong Kong
At YingFung Riverside Sports Park Field B, team CNMI also slipped to Hong Kong, 15-0 last Thursday.
“We tried our best and got a better result than the last game,” recalled player Enrico Del Rosario.
“A string of passes in the first half led Jireh Yobech up the right flank, allowing him to shoot on-goal, but his shot was blocked by Hong Kong’s goalkeeper,” described Schuler.
Team CNMI found several openings for a goal but couldn’t connect them in time. Hong Kong rallied with seven points in the first half before dominating the rest of the game.
Lone striker Joel Fruit missed a goal attempt while Hall and Kenneth Domingo pushed forward.
