Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, NOVEMBER 4
The 21st edition of Classic Cup got underway at Kohima Local Ground (Khuochiezie) under the theme ‘Championing the True Spirit of the Game’. A total of 31 teams are participating in the 18-day football tournament organized by the Classic Club Kohima.
Nagaland Football Association (NFA) President, P Atuo Mezhür Sekhose who graced the inaugural function of the tournament on Tuesday as the chief guest, lauded the Classic Club for consistently organizing the tournament for the last 20 years and he challenged the club to raise the bar and make Classic Cup an all-India tournament.
Stating that though football remains a “favourite sport discipline” of the Nagas, he lamented that there is no proper football ground in Nagaland yet. Despite the lacking sports infrastructure, he said, “People expect us to produce world class players.”
He recalled his recent meeting with the state’s parliamentary secretary in charge of Sports and expressed hope that the state government would seriously look into developing sports infrastructure as it claimed to be so as to encourage and groom the budding talents to compete at both national and international levels.Sekhose informed that the All India Football Federation has recently issued a directive to the NFA to identify and select 33 footballers (Under-17) from across the state to train at Kohima for a certain period of time, and be sent for selection at the North East level. The selected players will then be tested for the national team, who would then be coached to take part in FIFA competitions, he said.
The NFA chief also underscored that the association is looking to train more football coaches and referees who can groom and steer young players to improve their game. Saying that so far very few former footballers have come forward, Sekhose made an appeal to all former football players of the state to train as the NFA aspires for them to be trained as referees and coaches of national standard.
Meanwhile, Classic Club president K Neibou highlighted that the club organizes the Classic Cup annually with the objective to promote and upgrade young talented footballers of the state, to divert the mind of the youth to a healthy environment, and to promote the spirit of oneness through football.
The first edition of Classic Cup was organized in 1995 with a cash award of Rs. 10,000 for the champion and over the years, the amount has multiplied to sum of Rs.1,50,000 currently, becoming one of the highest awards in the state. Besides this, the CCK will identify three most promising players in this tournament who will be taken for exposure in the form of training and witnessing national and international level tournaments.
Headwinds win over KRK
In the opening encounter of the 21st Classic Cup 2015 on Tuesday, Headwinds FC Chiechama registered a 3-2 win over Kohima Royal Kickers (KRK).
Kikrukhrielie netted an early goal in the 4th minute of the game for the Headwinds FC and further increased the margin in the 13th minute though a header goal making a 2-0 lead for his team.
However the Kohima Royal Kickers fought back with two quick goals in the 18th and 21st minute through skipper Kekhriesilie Meyase making it 2-2 till half-time.
In the second half, Headwinds striker Vilazolie Rio fired home the match winner goal for his team in the 45th minute, leading the Headwinds FC three goals to KRK’s two to victory.
Headwinds FC will meet defending champions Barak FC in the pre-quarter-final match on November 11. (Fixture on page 11)
