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The Matao’s Dylan Naputi races toward the left flank with the ball facing defensive pressure from Australia’s Michael Marrone in a match of the East Asian Cup Round 2 tournament Friday at Hong Kong Stadium. (courtesy photo)
PRESS RELEASE – The Matao will take the valuable game experience from competition in the East Asian Cup Round 2 tournament to the island’s bid to win in AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers in March next year, Guam’s second appearance since 2006.
Guam’s national football team played its final match of this year’s East Asian Cup Round 2 tournament against FIFA No. 33 Australia, its fourth match in only seven days.
Earlier in the tournament, the Matao impressed Hong Kong fans and international media with a 2-1 performance against the host nation and a 1-1 draw against Chinese Taipei. Fans clamored to get autographs from the team after its 5-0 match against DPR Korea and applauded the Matao’s efforts in its first-ever match against Australia, a 9-0 loss to a team that included at least six players selected to play in World Cup qualifiers, as well as two players from Australia’s list of its top 10 international goal scorers.
“It was a tough game for us for sure,” said Matao head coach Gary White in a post-match press conference. “Four games in seven days is extremely grueling anyway, but when you’re playing at the international level, it’s even worse, obviously … I can’t fault the players’ desire – the Australians came out from the beginning. They had to get the goals. This was probably the hardest they’ll play in the entire tournament and we just happened to be on the end of it.
“Anything we can take from this (tournament) will help us in the Challenge Cup (qualifiers) in March when we go for that. We can only grow from this experience,” White added.
Even before the opening whistle, Guam was at a disadvantage as two Matao starters, Travis Nicklaw and Scott Leon Guerrero, were suspended from play after receiving two yellow cards in three games. Additionally, midfielder Ryan Guy was out of the rotation following an injury from a previous game.
Minutes into the game, Joshua Borja exited following a hamstring injury on a defensive run for the Matao during the match. George Washington High School senior Dylan Naputi filled in for Borja, joining other high school students Christian Schweizer and T.J. Atalig who played the full match.

The Matao’s Thaddeus “T.J.” Atalig goes up for a header against Australia’s Scott Jamieson Friday Hong Kong. Guam fell to the FIFA No. 33 country, 9-0. (courtesy photo)
Aaron Mooy opened scoring for the Australians, taking advantage of a free kick in the 11th minute of the match. Australian forward Eli Babalj scored eight minutes later and teammate Michael Marrone tacked on one more goal in the 41st minute before halftime.
Australia’s Archie Thompson, who has played for his country 45 times and is No. 2 on the country’s list of players with most international goals with 28, entered Saturday’s match in the second half and finished with a hat trick. Australia’s other second half goals came from Babalj, Mark Milligan, and Richard Garcia.
Even with Australia’s clean sheet, the match wasn’t a fully defensive endeavor by Guam, as the Matao had opportunities to score throughout the match. Guam’s Mark Chargualaf, a substitute in the second half, found some space near the penalty box, but Australia’s keeper Eugen Galekovic picked up the shot. Captain Jason Cunliffe and Shawn Nicklaw took free kicks for Guam, but the team was unable to convert on the set-play opportunities.
The Guam-based Matao returned Saturday.
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GPS Sports Calendar
February 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for January
1st
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
2nd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
3rd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
4th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for February
6th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
7th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
8th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
9th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL FINALS
Events for February
12th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 2
Events for February
13th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
14th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
15th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
16th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
17th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
18th
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2K/5K
World Athletics Cross Country Championships
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for February
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
21st
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
22nd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
24th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for February
24th
Events for February
25th
Events for February
27th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for February
28th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

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