Support for CNMI MNT

Support for CNMI MNT continues

Ten days remain before the CNMI men’s national soccer challenges its counterpart from Guam in the 2nd Annual Marianas Cup, and this year’s edition of the Blue Ayuyus received some much needed support along the way from one of Korea’s longtime athletic sponsors.

After hearing of the local team’s efforts on the pitch, Sejoong Tour Mall Saipan Branch/Director Manager, Choi Kyung-Sil, decided to assist the players in advance of their game against Guam by outfitting the men with uniforms and shorts.

Choi said that her company regularly supports soccer teams in Korea and that she had been looking for a way to sponsor one of Saipan’s local teams. When she heard about the CNMI’s up and coming national team, she stopped by one of the practices and was surprised with what she saw.

“I saw the CNMI team wearing old dirty shirts and I wanted to help by donating,” she said.

The donation marked Sejoong Tour Mall’s first donation on Saipan, and Choi picked the bright yellow Team Brazil uniforms for the CNMI “to bring sunshine into their game.”

Team CNMI was appreciative of the donation and the players have regularly donned the new uniforms during team practices. Choi said that she was happy to help and that she and Sejoong Tour Mall look forward to supporting more area soccer teams in the future.

“The same team or another team, no problem,” she said.

Last year, football fans from across the world watched as Team CNMI came within one goal of beating the FIFA ranked Guamanians. The visitors escaped with a 3-2 victory at the Oleai Sports Complex, but the men from Saipan were unable to find similar success a week later, as Guam rebounded with a 9-0 victory on its home field to take the inaugural Marianas Cup.

The second edition of the Marianas Cup takes place at the Oleai Sports Complex on Sunday, April 27, at 3pm, with pre-game activities getting underway at 2:45pm. Attendance is free and organizers invite the community to provide the same crowd support that last year’s team enjoyed.