Rajnath Singh opens first edition of 131st Durand Cup in Manipur

NEROCA FC beat TRAU FC by 3-1 goals at the opening match 

Our Correspondent
Imphal, Aug. 18 (EMN): Union defence minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Imphal on Thursday along with the Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande and formally declared the opening match of the first ever Manipur edition of the 131st Durand Cup, the Asia’s oldest football tournament.

The opening match was between two biggest football clubs of Manipur at Khuman Lampak main stadium in Imphal.

The two biggest football clubs of Manipur – North-Eastern Re-Organising Cultural Association (NEROCA) FC and Tiddim Road Athletic Union (TRAU) FC played the first of the 10 historic league matches of the 131st Durand Cup wherein NEROCA FC beat TRAU FC by 3-1 goals.

The day’s formal opening match started around 6.10 pm soon after a live performance by Papon, a playback singer cum music composer from Assam and local favourite Guru Rewben Mashangva, a folk musician from Manipur .

Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, Union minister of state for external affairs and education Dr. RK Ranjan Singh, state sports minister Govindas Konthoujam, Eastern Command Lt Gen) and Chairman Durand Organising Committee Lt Gen K K Repswal were also present during the colourful opening ceremony.

The visiting minister Rajnath Singh will also attend an interaction programme with Army and Assam Rifles troops at Mantripukhri, an Assam  Rifles campus located in the outskirts of Imphal on August 19 after which he is expected to leave for the national capital.

Earlier the state chief minister N Biren Singh led council of ministers and BJP state unit president A Sharda Devi along with state top officials welcomed the Union defence minister Rajnath Singh on his arrival at the Bir Tikendrajit International airport in Imphal.

The Manipur government on Thursday declared a half holiday in government offices and institutions to enable the employees, students to watch the opening match.

It may be noted that altogether 20 teams, including defending champions FC Goa and runners up from last year, Mohammedan Sporting, 11 teams from the Indian Super League, four Services teams, NEROA FC, TRAU FC, SUDEVA FC of Delhi and Rajasthan United FC will play in this edition of the Durand cup.