Shillong, Aug 15: Kemidon FC emerged champions of the second edition of the Northeast Open Dynamic Futsal Challenge, defeating Eipa United in the final on Friday evening at Ratson Arena, Mawiong Rim, Mawlai in Shillong.
The two-day tournament brought together 24 teams from across the Northeast, giving players an opportunity to compete against some of the region’s emerging futsal talent.
Kemidon FC capped their campaign with the title and a cash prize of Rs 1.5 lakh, while runners-up Eipa United received Rs 80,000.
The tournament also saw individual awards being handed out to some of the standout performers. Basuk Bina of Friends Combine was named the Emerging Player, while Nashua of SYM claimed the Golden Boot award. Kemidon FC goalkeeper Jovial Star was named the Golden Glove winner.
The tournament was inaugurated by Minerva Academy owner Ranjit Bajaj, who also returned on Friday evening to close the tournament and distribute the prizes to the winners.
Bajaj’s presence became one of the major attractions of the tournament, with large crowds gathering at the venue to catch a glimpse of the well-known football administrator and academy owner. Several young players also used the opportunity to showcase their skills in the hope of catching his attention.
Alongside the tournament, Bajaj conducted selection trials for his academy, attracting a large number of young footballers on the second day.
The inaugural edition of the tournament was held in Nagaland and was won by Chargers FC from Mokokchung. The tournament moved to Shillong for its second edition this year. With its combination of competitive futsal, substantial prize money and opportunities for young players to be noticed by football scouts and academies, the tournament aimed to provide a platform for the region’s football talent.
Event organiser Andrew Ropmay, founder and director of Dynamic Sports 360, said the decision to move the tournament from Nagaland to Shillong was aimed at creating an opportunity for more teams and promising futsal players from across the Northeast to participate.
Ropmay said Shillong’s strong football culture provided an ideal setting to stage a larger edition of the tournament. He said this year’s edition was bigger and better, with the event being conducted on a much larger scale than the inaugural edition.
He also promised that the next edition would be organised on an even bigger scale, with the aim of providing footballers from across the Northeast a platform to showcase their skills and attract attention beyond the region and on the global stage.
Another attraction of the event was a celebrity match between the well-known Nagaland-based theatre and film production house Dreamz Unlimited and Meghalaya’s Chiiungm which ended in a dramatic draw.
Talking about the event, Dreamz Unlimited praised the tournament and its objective of promoting futsal in the region while providing young players with a platform to showcase their skills. They also expressed hope that future editions would be hosted in different states across the Northeast. With the first edition held in Nagaland and the second in Shillong, Meghalaya, they said taking the tournament to different parts of the region would help popularise the sport and provide opportunities for teams that may not be able to travel long distances to compete.
