Shillong, April 30: The first match of the Assam Rifles CAPF Under-19 Football Talent Hunt Tournament for Meghalaya will be held on Monday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Polo. The opening clash will be in the boys’ division between KV Happy Valley and Assam Rifles Public School at 2:15pm.
Assam Rifles is organising the state-level tournaments in Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. The nationwide competition, dubbed ‘Oorja’, is an initiative of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to promote football in the entire country ahead of the FIFA Under-17 Football World Cup, which will be hosted by India for the first time later this year.
The tournaments in Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland will also begin on Monday.
Close to 400 boys and girls representing 16 clubs from Meghalaya will vie for the state trophy, which has been named in honour of Shlur Nongbri, the first native from the state to make it to the Indian national football team. The winners will also take home a prize purse of Rs 75,000 with Rs 50,000 for the runners-up.
Besides KV Happy Valley and Assam Rifles Public School, the other boys’ teams in Group A are Wahingdoh FC and Nongstoin Dist Sports Association. Group B consists of KV Laitkor, St Anthony’s Hr Sec School, Rangdajied UFC and West Jaintia Hills Sports Association.
In the girls’ category Umsning SC, Mawryngkneng SC, Laitkor SC and Umiuh SC are in Group A, while Tyrsad Sec Schoo, Mawpdang SC, Lawsohtun SC and East Jaintia Hills Sports Association form Group B.
The tournament will be held on a league-cum-knockout format. The top two teams from each group will proceed to the semifinals, which will be held on May 12 and 13. The finals will be held on May 15.
