Northeast Zonal Blind Football Tournament: Naga women emerge champions

Nagaland women’s blind football team defeated Meghalaya 1-0 to win the championship title in the 1st Women’s IBFF Northeast Zonal Blind Football Tournament.

Meanwhile, Nagaland man’s blind football team secured the third position at the 4th Men’s IBFF Northeast Zonal Blind Football Tournament, held at Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, from January 28 to the 30th.

Nagaland men’s team lost to Arunachal 0-1 in the semi final match, but won the third prize after Manipur withdrew from playing for the third spot due to non-availability of a substitute goalkeeper. Manipur’s main custodian received a red card in the semi-final match against Meghalaya.

Interacting with media persons here at Swadhar Gresh, Fellowship Colony, the head coach of the Nagaland Blind Football team, Diethozo Yoho, said the state team (men and women) practiced for two weeks in Dimapur before the tournament.

The head coach informed that the men’s blind football team participated in the B1 category (totally blind/90% and above), while women’s blind football team comprised of mixed categories (B1, B2 and B3).

Stating that India is currently ranked 14th out of the 65 countries that play blind football, Yoho also informed that this year, the Women’s Blind Football World Cup will be held in the United Kingdom and IBSA Blind Football Intercontinental Cup for men’s B1 category in India, while the Asian Para-Olympic will be held in China in 2024.

He also informed that the Nagaland women’s blind football team have already qualified to participate in the zonal tournament after winning the IBFF Northeast Zonal Blind Football Tournament.

Assistant coach/goal guide, Kezhaleto Zecho, shared some of the difficulties the state team faced while participating in the tournament. Zecho said they had a hard time finding sponsorship for the team.

Sharing his experience, Nagaland men’s blind football team captain, Piuling said that it was a great experience and that even without proper facilities for training, they could come thus far.

The state’s women’s football team captain, Marylin Kips, said even though the players did do not have proper ground for practice session, by the grace of God and team work, they were able to win the tournament.

Kips, who scored three goals, won the top scorer and player of the tournament awards, while Initoli Zhimome was awarded the best defender and Jemima Seam the best goalkeeper award.