IRB Ranipool lifts 1st Kunzang Namgyal Lamtha Memorial Cup

GANGTOK, 16 Jan: IRB Ranipool has won the 1st Kunzang Namgyal Lamtha Memorial Cup Open Football Tournament held here at Tenzing Namgyal Memorial Ground [the erstwhile Old Guards Ground], Tathangchen. In the closely played final match today, IRB beat Upper Tathangchen FC in a tie-breaker to emerge champions of the tournament.
The tournament had former Indian football team skipper and United Sikkim FC co-owner, Bhaichung Bhutia as the chief guest, who was accompanied by the Speaker, KT Gyaltsen as the guest of honour.
In the final match, IRB finished the first half with a 4-2 lead. In the second half, Upper Tathangchen leveled the score to 4-4 with a good come back in the game and the match ended in a draw. The match was further extended for tie-breaker through penalty shoot-out to decide the winner, in which IRB scored 4 goals while Upper Tathangchen players managed to score just 3 goals from 5 shots.
Sanjay Chettri of Upper Tathangchen FC was awarded with the Man of the Match trophy, while goalkeeper of Shangrila FC, Pintso Tashi received the Man of the Tournament trophy. Highest Scorer trophy was awarded to Bir Bahadur Pradhan of IRB Ranipool for his 9 goals in the tournament.
The winning team was awarded with cash prize of Rs 50,000 along with trophy and medals, while cash prize of Rs 30,000 along with trophy and medals were given to the runners-up team.
The tournament was kicked-off on 25 December. A total of 20 teams participated in the Open Men’s Football, while U-14 Boy’s Talent Hunt had the participation of 16 teams.
On the occasion, the organizing committee also felicitated former India football team skipper, Bhaichung Bhutia, former footballers, Karma Loday Bhutia and Karma Thinlay Bhutia and India’s Got Talent finalist, Deep Raj Rai. The final day also witnessed a performance by Deep Raj Rai along with cultural presentations by local groups of the area.
In his address, Bhaichung congratulated the organizing committee for successfully organizing the tournament and further appreciated their efforts in providing a platform to local players of the state to showcase their talent and skills. He also congratulated the winning team and appreciated the fighting spirit of the runner-up team.
Mentioning that USFC was successful in bringing the I-League to the state to motivate young local talents of the state, he urged fans of the club from the area to support the club.
Likewise, the Speaker congratulated the Lamtha family for coming forward in organizing this tournament in the memory of late Mr Lamtha to encourage young footballers. He encouraged them to continue with this tournament to encourage rural and young talented footballers to play well to reach to national and higher levels. Football is not just a game but it also teaches leadership, discipline and unity, said the Speaker.
In his brief report of the tournament, organizing committee convener, Tenzing Norbu Lamtha, informed that a total of 320 mostly young footballers along with experienced players from 20 teams participated in the Open football. He further informed that 290 young footballers from 16 different teams participated in U-14 Boy’s Talent Hunt, which was also part of the tournament.
Out of 290 players, 20 best players were shortlisted by a selection committee to train them further in the Sikkim Himalayan Sporting Club [SHSC], he informed. He also thanked the area MLA, councilor, elders, youth and other involved in the tournament for their support in successful organization of the tournament.
Late Kunzang Namgyal Lamtha was a footballer and had also represented Sikkim in many international tournaments before its merger with the Indian union during 1955 and later. He was also felicitated by the Sikkim Football Association during the Governor’s Gold Cup in 2009 for his contribution towards the development of football in the state.