The NMI Women’s National Soccer Team 2-2 in the Women’s EAFF E-1 Football Championships Preliminary Competition in Zhuhai, China.
They debuted in the tourney with a 4-3 upset against Mongolia last Nov. 30; fell to Hong Kong, 1-6, last Dec. 2; lost to North Korea, 0-17 last Dec. 4; and capped the tourney with a 4-0 win against Macau last Dec. 6.
High school standouts Andrei Kaithlyn Chavez and Jannah Casarino led the team to victory with back-to-back goals against Mongolia. NMI drew first blood in the 23rd minute from Chavez’s goal, but Mongolia’s Batjargal Enkhzul equalized it in the 35th minute.
Casarino then found an opening to take back the lead five minutes later, only for Mongolia’s Orogdol Tsasan-Okhin to tie it up once more in the 60th minute. Chavez then put NMI up again in the 69th minute and held that lead for just two minutes as Mongolia’s Bayarsaikhan Namuun made it 3-3.
Later, Casarino took it home when she scored the tie-breaking goal in extra time for their first win and the upset at the start of the tourney.
They started and ended their tourney with a win as they bagged their second win in their last game against Macau.
Casarino was goal-hungry once again and scored the first goal in the game. Pia Ngewakl added two more goals in the second half to make it 3-0, then Casarino capped it off with a final goal in the 80th minute.
Macau was silenced as they couldn’t get past NMI’s defenders and goalie and NMI went home with a 2-2 record.
Head coach Luam Khen Koo said the women’s national team has improved over the years of consistent training.
For their match against each opponent, Koo started with Hong Kong and said they should have scored more goals as they had a lot of chances against the keeper, but beating Macau was easy as their level of play was much higher.
As for Mongolia, he said they had a goal to get a good result against them, and they achieved it. “DPR [North Korea] is on a different level and we need to have more experience to handle them,” said Koo.
Koo added that the team’s two wins in the tournament was “a huge achievement for the women’s team as we have a very small pool of players and I believe the team will improve with good programs. The experience and results in this EAFF was vital for women soccer in NMI. Year-round programs with good coaching and playing more high level games is the key to improvement.”
Along with Casarino, Chavez, and Ngewakl, the national team included Katrina Costales, Mia Abuan, Christina Atalig, Julie Chavez, Bernadette Horey, Khristelle Itaas, Tamia Kileleman-Hix, Tyana Kileleman-Hix, Summer Manahane, Kelsey McClellan, Deseha Mendiola, Dianne Pablo, Sophia Quintos, Gabrielle Race, Guinevere Borja, Britany Wally, and Rizza Relucio.
They were joined by head coach Koo, assistant coach Kwok Kei Poon, manager Mikky Vargas, assistant manager Yu Hung Lee, assistant coach Mae Ito, and physiotherapist Pamela Carhill.
Published by Saipan Tribune – December 13, 2023