Hills herald new soccer era... EAST BENGAL LIFTS FIRST GTA CHAIRMAN'S GOLD CUP

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, 24 Dec 2018, Kalimpong: East Bengal lifted the first GTA Chairman's Gold Cup beating Mohammedan Sporting Club in a penalty shoot-up to cap off a year that threw open new horizons for the football loving hills.

Mohammedan failed to convert their first two spot kicks, making it easy for East Bengal to clinch the trophy. The final scoreline read 3-1. Missing a number of sitters during the normal playtime cost Mohammedan SC dearly.

GTA chief Binay Tamang said: "The tournament has been recognised by the Indian Football Association and will be included as its calendar event. Sixteen teams, including four from the Darjeeling hills and Siliguri, had participated in the tournament that was spread over six venues across the hills and Siliguri. The tournament conducted by the GTA was kicked off on December 9.

Given the involvement of people in football in Kalimpong, it was befitting that a semi-final and the final were played at Mela Ground here. The other semi-final was held at St Joseph's School Ground in Darjeeling.

"We will try our best to ensure talents from the hills are exposed to big clubs of the country and abroad," said Tamang.

A few days back, Darjeeling police, in association with Eintracht Frankfurt, a top Germany club, selected 24 boys aged below 12, for a three-year training and exposure trip to Germany. Football has, through this year, been a medium to help the hills limp back to normalcy after the 104-day shutdown in 2017.

Darjeeling had also re-christened itself as "The World Cup" town and hundreds had participated in various football events. The money collected during this event was used to buy an ambulance to serve the villagers by the St Joseph's School Alumni Association.

In the final on Sunday, Bikash Raini of East Bengal was adjudged the manof-the-match, while Rahul Kumar Paswan from Kalighat M.S Football Club was given the man-of-the-series trophy.

Philip Adja from Ghana who plays with Mohammedan FC once again dazzled with his footwork.

He was the highest scorer of the tournament.

The winners also took home a cheque for Rs 3 lakh, while the runnerup was given Rs 2 lakh and a trophy.