Members of the United Sikkim Sporting Club. Gangtok, Nov 20 : Two football clubs in Sikkim have been invited to play in premier tournaments in the Northeast next week, an indication of the state’s image as a hub of soccer talents.
While the United Sikkim Sporting Club will take part in the North East Dr T Ao Memorial Football Tournament in Imphal, Denzong Boyz FC has been given a direct quarterfinal berth in the Royal Gold Cup in Kohima.
“We have been performing well this season. The club has reached the finals of the state-level Independence Day tournament and pre-quarters of All India Governor’s Gold Cup. The players have been practising regularly after the Gold Cup,” said United Sikkim coach Arjun Rai.
The coach said the club had been focusing mainly on local talents who were provided with platforms to get maximum exposure. “The local players have shown maturity in recent matches and I expect my boys to do well in the Imphal tournament,” said Rai.
The T Ao Memorial Tournament is organised by the All Manipur Football Association and is sponsored by the DoNER ministry and the Manipur government. Teams from all eight north-eastern states will feature in the tournament that will commence on November 21.
The Gangtok-based United Sikkim is placed in Group A, which includes traditionally strong clubs from Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram. The Group B has Nagaland, Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
The tournament will be held in a league fashion where two top teams from each group will play in semi-finals.
That Sikkim has been bracketed with strong opponents like Manipur and Mizoram shows the Himalayan state’s emergence in the national football arena.
“Manipur and Mizoram play good football. But Manipur is always the tournament’s favourite. Now Sikkim has also come up,” said Rai.
The United Sikkim, whose chief patron is Bhaichung Bhutia, will clash with Manipur in its first match on November 21. The club will take on Tripura on November 23 and Mizoram on November 25.
Apart from captain Nim Tshering Lepcha, the team has senior players like Sagar Rai, Michael Lepcha and Bhupendra Khewa and young ones like Abzal Asnari, Lakpa Sherpa and Kip Barfungpa.
Teenager Ansari had received much attention for his wonderful defending skills in the recent Governor’s Gold Cup tournament. The players left for the Manipur capital today.
Denzong Boyz is also looking forward to the Kohima tournament on a positive note after having reached the quarterfinal of the All India Brigade of Gurkhas Gold Cup football tournament being played in Darjeeling. The team lost to BNR Kolkata on sudden death in the quarterfinal on November 16.
The club has been given a direct quarterfinal berth in the Kohima tournament on November 23.