KHONSA, 6 Nov: Fozo Sporting Club retained the Along Aboh Memorial Football Tournament title. They beat Chinkoi Football Club 4-3 in a penalty shootout in the final match played at Nehru Stadium here in Tirap district on Saturday.

The winning team was awarded Rs 1 lakh along with a trophy, while the runner-up was given Rs 50,000 with a trophy.

The awards for the best player and the highest scorer of the tournament were bagged by two players of the winning team. While Tezo Aran was declared the best player, Nali Rangsong became the highest scorer. He scored 13 goals. Jonriam Bangsia of Field Colony was adjudged the best goalkeeper of the tournament. Rs 10,000 each was awarded to the individual achievers.

The disciplined team award went to United Kothin. Tirap DC Taro Mize sponsored the cash award of Rs 20,000 for the most disciplined team.

The award for the emerging player went to Khunnu FC’s Josen Ketok. He was awarded Rs 3,000 sponsored by DSO Noah Mongku.

The cash awards and the trophies to the champion and the runner-up, as well as the prizes to the individual achievers were given away by Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Tesam Pongtey, Mize and Tirap ZPC Chathong Lowang.

Earlier, Pongtey appealed to the youths of the TCL region to shun antisocial activities, including consumption of narcotic substances.

Informing that there is job reservation in the government departments for meritorious sportspersons, he said that the sports quota in the police department meant for the candidates from TCL districts could not be filled due to unavailability of eligible sportspersons from the region, due to which the reserved seats were filled with candidates from other districts.

The deputy speaker exhorted the youths of Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts to channel their energy in a positive way.

Speaking on the poor performance of the candidates from TCL districts in the APSC and the APSSB examinations, he advised the students of the three districts to work hard to achieve success.

ZPC Lowang also emphasized on the importance of games and sports and urged the youths of Tirap to give more attention to their academic studies, besides games and sports.

MLA and sponsor of the tournament Chakat Aboh, SP Kardak Riba, the CO of the 36 Bn CRPF, the chief of Dadam, the Changlang and Dadam ZPMs and the grandparents of late Along Aboh, in whose memory the tournament was organized, were present at the stadium to witness the final match. (DIPRO)