By Tenzin Choephel
Phayul Correspondent

Kathmandu, June 9: Trungkar Soccer Tournament, organised by the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) of Kathmandu, began here this morning with an opening ceremony at the Namgyal Middle School. Four matches were played today.

Mr. Gyalnor Tsewang, a member of the ATPD (Assembly of Tibetan People’s Deputies) from Kathmandu declared open the month long game, which will, henceforth, be played every Saturday at the Nepal Police Academy ground in Maharajgunj.

12 Tibetan teams have qualified to play in this follow up tournament to celebrate His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 72nd Birthday (Trungkar) on coming July 7.

Namgyal High School, Srongtsen School, Namgyal-Ex Association, TCV-Ex Alumni Association, Mussorrie-Ex Association, SOS-Pokhara Ex, Yarlung United, Norling United, Phakshing United, Kathmandu City Club, Khampa Camp Team and Samdrupling Team are the 12 participating teams. Most of the players are young Tibetans from Kathmandu and Pokhara.

The first match between Yarlung United and Namgyal High School kicked off at 10:00 am and ended in no-goal draw. The match was interesting as the high school boys held their senior players tightly on the marshy ground. Due to monsoon rain, the ground is likely to remain mostly soggy throughout the tournament.

The second game between Ex-Namgyal and Khampa Camp Team too ended in draw scoring two goals each. In the third game, TCV-Ex defeated Norling Club by 3 goals to one. Today’s last game between Kathmandu City Club and SOS Pokhara-Ex was probably the most interesting. Kathmandu City Club Team with Tashi Tsering, former national player and captain of the Manang Marshyangdi, the top soccer club in Nepal, scored 7 goals against 3 goals from SOS Pokhara. Although the Kathamdnu City Club dominated the game, the SOS Pokhara-Ex with some brilliant players managed to score all three of its goals in about ten minutes in the latter part of the second half.

Kathmandu City Club Team appears to be one of the strong contenders of the tournament and, all through the tournament, their games will be one of the favourites that football lovers here will definitely love to watch.

About 400 spectators, including football players, women and children spared their time watching the day-long matches. The winner and the runners-up teams will receive cash prizes of Rupees 10,000 and 5000 each respectively on July 6.

Addressing the opening ceremony today, Mr. Gyalnor Tsewang requested all the non-governmental Tibetan organisations and sports clubs to encourage and support young unemployed Tibetan people to take initiative in small business ventures and promised to render his support for any lucrative projects. He also urged young unemployed Tibetans to join Tibetan regiment in the Indian Army called Special Frontier Force.