Pughoboto and Aghunato players in action during the opening match of the 1st Intra-District U-23 Football Tournament held at District Sports Council Ground in Zunheboto on March 10.
Pughoboto outclass Aghunato 7–0 in opening match
Morung Express News
Zunheboto | March 10
The first Intra-District Under-23 Football Tournament kicked off at the District Sports Council Ground in Zunheboto on Tuesday, with six teams from across the district participating in the five-day event.
The tournament is being organised by the District Planning and Development Board (DPDB) in collaboration with the Zunheboto District Football Association (ZDFA).
Deputy Commissioner of Zunheboto Dharam Raj, IAS, who attended the inaugural programme as the special guest, congratulated the organisers for initiating the tournament and expressed hope that more teams would participate in the coming years.
In his address, he said it was a privilege to attend the first edition of the tournament and acknowledged that, as an inaugural event, there might be some shortcomings. However, he expressed confidence that the tournament would grow and improve in the years ahead.
The deputy commissioner credited the initiative to the Deputy Speaker and chairman of the DPDB, S Toiho Yeptho, for promoting development through sports in the district. He said the board aims to focus on human resource development through sports and other activities in Zunheboto.
Highlighting the importance of sports, Dharam Raj said games and athletics contribute significantly to the physical and mental development of youth. He also noted that the district’s performance in the Dr T Ao Trophy has not been at par in recent years and expressed hope that such tournaments would help young players develop their skills and improve the district’s performance.
He added that the tournament would provide a platform for young footballers to showcase their talent so that the best players could be selected to represent the district at the state level. Encouraging the players, he urged them to play with companionship, compassion and a strong spirit of sportsmanship.
In the inaugural match, Pughoboto defeated Aghunato 7–0, with Toka scoring a hat-trick to lead his team to a dominant victory.
The programme was chaired by District Sports Officer of Zunheboto, Anguvito Sumi. Invocation was delivered by Assistant Youth Leader of ZTSBC, Nupato Zhimo, while a special presentation was made by Tokali Tovi Yeptho. The oath-taking ceremony was administered by Akaho Zhimomi, vice president of ZDFA.
The tournament will be held from March 10 to 14.
