Marshall Islands Makes Noise In Outrigger Challenge Cup

After only two matches played, people are confident in what they see in Marshall Islands National Team Soccer

Marshall Islands Technical Director and Head Coach Lloyd Owers thought the call inside the Turks and Caicos 18-yard box was a "stone wall penalty." Down 3-2 to T and C with only a few minutes left in the 90, he thought his team had a chance to equalize and possibly get to spot kicks on only their second match as a national team this weekend in Springdale, Arkansas.

"I can hardly describe it," Owers tells me after the match in all the chaos outside their locker room. "But, to get into that position with every player on the roster list playing, you couldn't ask for more."

"I don't think it has sunk in just how amazing these guys are. But, I think we're now in a position where we can develop and push on more and more and where we can take this is a different story."

After the 4-0 loss to US Virgin Islands Thursday night at Springdale High School, it was another affair where there were stretches that had the Marshallese in control. But, it was two moments in transition where the speed of the T and C took advantage of the advanced back line and were clinical in the 2-0 lead in the first 26 minutes.

A beautiful piece of team play- short passing, seeing an advantage in matchups, and a good flick to spring a score- gave the entire Marshellese community- regardless of where they were taking in the match- that "first-ever" moment with James Madison's Josiah Blanton put the ball past the keeper and a 2-1 margin.

"Going from being invited by Matt Pierre this summer," Blanton says, "to the fact to let me be involved thinking I was a good enough person to help, to be the first to score was exciting. Looking up at the crowd, even two days ago, and see them really cheer us and keep cheering was really special."

Just as quickly, though, another transition opportunity put the margin back to two by the time we reached the halftime break.

The Turks and Caicos couldn't put another shot past Matt Perrella and his Marshall Islands offense closed the margin to 3-2 with a handful of minutes to go as Aaron Anitok converted a penalty kick. The last ten minutes of action, clearly, was T and C hanging on- part of that being what Owers referenced above.

Even as 3-2 was the final score, there were a lot of positives to take along into the new world of international competition the Marshall Islands were now a part of twelve months a year. You go from no goals and chances to two and a LOT of chances- and, remember, this was a group that had no organized practices as a squad until a week ago.

Some players had never even played 11v11 before and some of the brain trust we have been introduced to had a match in uniform at the back. Director of Marketing and Communications Matt Webb put in a shift and had some key plays to turn the visitors away from the 18.

Webb, Owers, and Assistant Coach Justin Walley Celebrate The Weekend

"We're exceptionally proud as a group with what we've done," Webb says. "Biggest thing we told them is: don't stop playing when you go home. Keep doing everything you can and hopefully, in a year, we can be in a stronger position.

" We are wondering where we can go from here. It's very nice of people to say we're already competitive at certain levels, but we know we're a long way away. If you look at the teams we played in the series, they have structures on the youth side and the women's side for example. We're committed to having a structure going forward. You don't want to run before we can walk. We want to be able to do this in a sustainable manner.

"I think, throughout the week, I had a few pinch yourself moments. You ask yourself: How on Earth did we get here...? It hasn't really sunk in. It has been quite overwhelming at times."

Now, that the Marshall Islands the last country on the planet to have played national team matches, Assistant Coach Justin Walley knows this is a moment that has to be capitalized upon. There can be some rest with this foray into the "new world" so to speak, but you can only rest so much.

" We've got to regroup," Walley admits. "We're hoping people can come in and support. We hope there can be more sponsors. You hope for more from the community- that has been amazing so far, and you're also looking for funding, too. This tournament was done with almost no resources. It has been done at points from 10,000 miles away from here- but we all proved we can achieve a lot.

"For football, I think they have achieved more than anyone imagined as a group, and they're a fantastic group of humans. Biggest thing is you don't want it to be a chapter that doesn't have a next part."

So, there's a year to build... a year that, Owers is confident, can be used to gain more exposure, experience, depth, and a rhythm of staying as sharp as you can for the next time.

Getting CONCACAF'ed's Jon Arnold thinks that the Marshall Islands side can hang right now with some C-teams in the federation. High praise...

There is a greater mission and message in play- and it's a mission worth looking into.

It's about geography, relocation, understanding, and global concerns all at the same time. To give the Marshallese an anthem to stand to and a team to cheer on from its absolute beginning will have special moments for a long time. When you mention the Outrigger Challenge Cup going forward, you'll have these markers coming with you.

And you get to add from here- with a lot of promise attached...