YAS Minister Letpao Haokip kick-starts State-level Subroto Mukherjee Football ; Comprehensive win for Thoubal in opening match
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR
Imphal, July 12 2017:
Youth Affairs and Sports Mi-nister Letpao Haokip declared open the State-level Subroto Mukerjee Football tournament, 2017 at District Sports Com-plex, Wangjing in Thoubal district today .
Speaking on the occasion, Letpao Haokip said, "Sports provide a platform for people to come together sans any line of divisions.
Sports know no race as well as promote optimistic thinking.
Besides, there is the ever rising need to encourage sports and sporting events in the State against the backdrop of multiple social turmoils." He added, "One of the most positive things about sports is the pure joy that can result for everyone involved in it.".
The YAS minister further elaborated that sports can have positive impacts in society.
He explained, "Sport interventions can reduce turmoil by developing trust within communities and good moral characters can also be infused on the youth through sports activities."
Several dignitaries, including L Nabakishwar, DC, Thoubal; N Praveen, Director, YAS; and Col JC Hajarnis, Commandant, 2nd Assam Rifles, Thoubal were present in the opening ceremony .
Meanwhile, a total of 15 teams representing 15 districts of the State (excluding Kamjong)�Bishnupur, Chandel, Churachandpur, Imphal East, Imphal West, Jiribam, Kakching, Kangpok-pi, Noney, Pherzawl, Sena- pati, Tamenglong, Tengnou- pal, Thoubal and Ukhrul�will vie for the top honour in the State-level Subroto Mu-kerjee Football tournament, 2017 that will be held in two categories: under-14 and under-17 .
The opening ceremony was delayed due to the late arrival of the dignataries, who made it 45 minutes after the scheduled time.
However, later, as the exciting match between Thoubal and Noney showed, it was worth the wait .
Thoubal get the better of Noney by 3-0
In the opening match of the tournament, the hosts Thoubal district, represented by Lilong Higher Secondary Madrasa notched a comfortable 3-0 win against 10-man Noney team (represented by Nungnang Luwangreng Govt High School) Although Noney fielded 11 players, one was rejected after medical examination/verification .
Right from the first whistle, the Thoubal boys were in command of the match.
They had some chances although they could not convert them into goals in the first quarter of the game.
However, Premkanta Meetei made no mistake and slammed home the opener for the hosts' team in the 18th minute .
A couple of minutes later, Dingku Meetei netted another goal for the home team to double the lead and the two teams went to the break with the Thoubal boys leading comfortably by 2-0 .
The two sides bounced back with renewed vigour in the second half.
The hosts, however, continued playing an attacking game.
Leingakpa scored the third goal for Thoubal team in the 47th minute and that eventually sealed the team's victory .
Even as the Noney boys pushed hard to reduce the margin, they were simply no match for the Thoubal defenders today.