14 Nov Guam-Based Matao Players to Return to Budweiser League
[October 16, 2015 – Harmon, Guam] – Many of the Guam-based Matao players will be back in time for Week 2 of Division I action of the Budweiser Soccer League beginning Saturday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center.
Defending champions Rovers DI will take on Guam Shipyard at 7 p.m. Saturday, followed by 2014-2015 runners-up Strykers taking on the Southern Cobras at 9 p.m. In the lone Division I match Sunday, Quality Distributors FC will take on the Sidekicks at 7 p.m.
Last season’s champions will be looking for their first win this season after dropping their opener to Quality Distributors 3-2 in a physical opening-week match that saw six yellow cards between the two teams and also resulted in a red card for Rovers DI’s Nathan Sablan in the 82nd minute.
Adrian Kense had the winning strike for Quality in the 89th minute and teammate Scott Spindel scored twice in the win. Natsuki Recella and Jeremy Boldt scored for Rovers DI.
In the other opening-week Division I match, Guam Shipyard prevailed over the Southern Cobras 5-2. Shipyard’s Kenneth Karosich completed a hat trick by the 30th minute to give his team the early lead. Joe Laanan and Donald Weakley also scored. The Cobras’ Ashton Surber had the goal of the night off a bicycle kick in the 32nd minute and teammate Cristian Surber also scored for the Cobras.
The Matao recently competed in a FIFA World Cup Qualifier match against Turkmenistan in Ashgabat after a week-long training camp in Doha, Qatar. The team next plays India on Nov. 12 and after will return to Guam Nov. 17 for its final home match of the qualification round against I.R. Iran. Tickets for the Guam-I.R. Iran match go on sale beginning Saturday at the GFA Main Office.
Division 2
In Week 2 of Division 2, last season’s champions Rovers DII battled to a 2-2 draw with Tumon. Luis Quichocho and Nicolas Cabuhat scored for the Rovers DII and Thomas Sheehy and Eyuel Yohannes scored for Tumon.
In other matches, the Crushers defeated Southern Heat 2-0 with goals from Justin Samonte and Jonathan Odell. The Islanders FC edged the Applebee’s Strykers DII 2-1 with goals from Jordan Jasmin and Derek Okuhama. Clayton Mitchell scored for the Strykers. Big Blue defeated FC Beercelona 5-1 with goals from Vincent Magriplis, Derrick Cruz, Nayel Jones, Juan Cruz, and Giancarlo Abril. Pele Torres scored Beercelona’s lone goal. League newcomer Bank of Guam Team Ifit earned its first win in the league with a 3-0 victory over Doosan FC. Ethan San Nicolas scored two for Bank of Guam and teammate Angelo Cortez also scored.
Masters Division
In Week 2 of the Masters Division, Rovers Masters edged Big Blue 3-2 with goals from James Oh, Seigo “Bob” Yoshida, and Frantz Kebreau. Pepito Bedia, Jr. scored both goals for Big Blue. The Strykers Masters defeated Hyundai Family FC 3-1 with goals from Rod Hidalgo, Kiattisak Yolpan, and Matthew Elwell. Shao Yi scored for Family FC. IT&E Boonie Dawgs picked up their first win of the season with a 3-1 victory over United Masters. Jay Shedd, Russ Buckwalter, and Evan Walker scored one each for IT&E. Tony Liu scored for United Masters.
Rovers DI goalkeeper David Drews leaps to punch away the ball from Quality Distributors in a Division I opening week match of the Budweiser Soccer League at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. Quality defeated the Rovers DI 3-2.
Rovers DI’s Jeremy Boldt tries to control the ball as Quality Distributors FC defenders Devin Maluwelmeng (left) and James Bush (right) try to prevent him from turning to the goal in a Division I opening week match of the Budweiser Soccer League at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. Quality defeated the Rovers DI 3-2.
Quality Distributors FC’s Adrian Kense sends a pass to a teammate during an opening week Division I match of the Budweiser Soccer League against the Rovers DI at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. Quality defeated the Rovers DI 3-2.
Southern Cobras’ Ashton Surber makes a move to get past the defense of Guam Shipyard’s Gabriel Matua Sablan in a Division I opening week match of the Budweiser Soccer League at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. Shipyard defeated the Cobras 5-2.
Guam Shipyard’s Kenneth Karosich controls the ball while looking for an opportunity to get around the defense of the Southern Cobras’ Antonio Prieto in a Division I opening week match of the Budweiser Soccer League at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. Shipyard defeated the Cobras 5-2.