Dharamsala – The Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup kicked off yesterday amidst a festive mood. Gyalwa Karmapa Ugyen Thinley Dorji was the chief guest. Hundreds of football fans gathered at the Tibetan Children’s Village School ground to watch the first two matches of the Tournament.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the 17th Karmapa urged everyone to keep educating oneself in whatever field one chooses. He stressed the need to excel in ones chosen area whether in sports or in academics. “One must also play a game with a spirit of true sportsmanship. One must be able to accept winning and losing as a part of any game”, he reminded the players.
In the first match, Dharamsala played against Bylakuppe. The match ended with the draw of 2 each.
Expectations soared as the match started with the Dharamsala team dominating the first few minutes. Dharamsala made some brilliant attempts keeping the crowds holding their breath with anxiety. A little after those failed attempts, on the 16th minute, Tenor scored the first goal. He received a brilliant pass from Karma which he comfortably converted into the first point of the tournament.
At half time, Dharamsala had a lead of 1-0. As the second half started, the Bylakuppe team looked demoralized and their supporters also remained dispirited. However, it did not last long. Seven minutes into the half, Bylakuppe sprung back into action with their first goal rousing the crowd once more. The game picked up soon after, with cheering for both sides becoming louder and louder.
After several near misses from both teams, in the 61st minute, Dharamsala scored their second goal.
As the match progressed with Dharamsala still in the lead , Bylakuppe began a more offensive tactic. It paid off as their substitute with the jersey number 7 sprinted ahead, sweeping past the right defender and with a strong kick scored their second goal. Closing the game with a draw.
The second match was between Doon Valley and Mundgod . Here it was Doon Valley which maintained a comfortable lead ending with a score 3-1.
Barely two minutes into the game and Doon Valley scored their first goal, leaving their opponents shocked. Mundgod tried hard to balance the score, however to no avail. Instead, Doon Valley added more damage by netting a second goal.
In the second half, a free kick was awarded to Mundgod due to a tackle on one of its strikers. The ball took a strange trajectory, hitting the cross bar. In the confusion, before the ball could touch the ground, Mundgod’s centre forward, managed to deflect the ball off his head into the net and made the score 2-1.
With that first goal from Mundgod, the crowd expected a change from the team. But to their dissapointment, a third goal was added by Doon Valley, leaving little doubt about the match’s result.
Today, Gangtok will face Delhi in the first match, while Pokhara takes on Kathmandu in the second.
