Shirley’s Football Club’s Nnart Siech battles for the possession during a semifinal match against Kanoa Football Club 2 in the U14 boys division of the TakeCare Youth Soccer League Spring 2025 at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville on Saturday.
NMIFA photo
MP United Football Club’s Evan Poole attempts a midrange shot during a semifinal match against Kanoa Football Club 1 in the U14 boys division of the TakeCare Youth Soccer League Spring 2025 at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville on Saturday.
MATANSA and MP United football clubs will face off for the U14 boys division championship of the TakeCare Youth Soccer League Spring 2025, after eliminating their respective opponents in the semifinal matches held Saturday at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville.
Matansa secured their seat in the finals by outperforming Latte Football Club, 3-1.
Matansa delivered a confident and tactical display in the opening half, maintaining a high-paced tempo and strong ball control. Through teamwork and precise passing, the team quickly broke through Latte’s defensive line, with Zhi Xing Jin scoring the first goal just eight minutes into the match.
Latte adjusted their defensive approach and held their ground, fending off the rest of Matansa’s onslaught. However, they struggled to find their footing on offense and remained scoreless going into halftime, trailing 1-0.
Matansa maintained their attacking pressure in the second half with clever build-up play and strong midfield control. Just a few minutes in, Jin struck again, finding the back of the net in the 36th minute. Ten minutes later, Rhyane Umali scored the team’s third goal, extending the lead to 3-0.
After a series of trials and errors, Latte finally gained control of possession and delivered in the 49th minute, with Napu Pangelinan scoring his team’s first goal.
Matansa responded by tightening their backline, denying any further shots from slipping through and managing the clock to their advantage, securing a 3-1 win and a spot in the finals.
MP United vs Kanoa 1
MP United Football Club clinched the final spot in the championship by overcoming Kanoa Football Club 1 in a nail-biting match.
With neither side scoring in regulation, the game was decided by a penalty shootout.
Kanoa 1 fell short, with only Aldric Antonio finding the back of the net on one of their four shootout attempts. MP United was perfect from the spot, as Quido Jambor, Kanoa Owens, Damien Camacho, and Even Poole all converted to secure the win and a place in the finals, 0(1)-0(4).
Earning a seat in the consolation bracket was Shirley’s Football Club, which bested Kanoa Football Club 2, 5-1. Justo Quitugua led the highlight reel with three goals to earn a hat-trick while Nnart Siech scored two goals.
Shirley’s will now face Paire Football Club in a consolation final match while Matansa will go head-to-head with MPU for the U14 boys division title this Saturday.
