Srinagar: In the ongoing State Football League-2017, three matches were played at Synthetic Turf TRC on Sunday (Oct 22) in which Young Iqbal and J&K Bank Academy emerged winners while the third match between Maharaja FC and Real Kashmir FC ended in a draw.
After a day’s break due to strike on Saturday, the event resumed on Sunday at Synthetic Turf TRC and a huge number of football fans had gathered at the venue to witness the matches.
In the Premier-Division match, Maharaja FC played a goal less draw with Real Kashmir FC. Right from the start of the match, Real Kashmir players tried to attack opposite goal post frequently. But on all the occassions, they failed at the fininsh line. Real Kashmir FC missed at least three clear chances to score.
Real Kashmir FC, the favourites for the match and the title, would rue the missed chances as it was a golden oppurtunity for them to further stregthen their chances to lift the event. Though the confident looking Real Kashmir players started strongly in the match, the defenders of the Maharaja team ensured that no damage was done. The Maharaja goalkeeper didn’t allow the forward lines of the opposite team to succeed and saved three clear chances. Though no goal was scored in the match, it proved to be a delight for the spectators who were chanting slogans in favour of their favourite teams and players. Umer of Maharaja FC was declared as player of the match for his performance.
In the first Super-Division match of the day, played at Synthetic Turf TRC, J&K Bank Academy thrashed State Football Academy (SFA) Junion by four goals to nil in a one sided encounter. The Bank team dominated the play right from start of the match and gave no chances to helpless defenders of the SFA team. Ateeb opened the account for the Bank team in just 3rd minute of the play. After that the Bank players stepped up attacks on SFA goal post and in 35th minute, they doubled the lead through Amir.
Ateeb scored his second and team’s third goal in 67th minute of the match. When 10 minutes later Ateeb scored his thrid goal and team’s fourth, the fate of the match was over. SFA Junior players tried their best to score, but they lacked the coordination and ultimately had to settle for 4-0 drubbing.
In the second Super-Division match of the day, also played at Synthetic Turf TRC, Young Iqbal FC beat Young Maharaja FC by 2-1 in a closely contested affair. Naveed and Moieen were the scorers for the winning team while Asif scored the solitary goal for the losing team. Despite losing the match, Young Maharaja FC team played exceptional football and if they had converted the chances they got, the result could have been different.
The State Football League-2017 is being organised by the J&K Football Association (JKFA) in all 22 districts of the state to unearth the hidden talent. More than 500 football teams and clubs with over 12000 players and over 1500 team officials are participating in the mega event, first of its kind in the history of J&K football.
While B-Division League of State Football League is already completed with IFC Nowgam winning the title, the A-Division League has reached to the final stage with Fort View FC and Novelty FC qualifying for final. In Super and Premier Division leagues, more than 60 percent matches have been completed.
The premier division teams include J&K Bank XI, Forest XI, Police XI, Food and Supplies XI, Accountant General’s XI, Maharaja FC, Iqbal FC, I-League Lone Star KFC, I-League Real Kashmir FC, Power Development Corporation and State Football Academy are participating in the event.
The DFA Srinagar, DFA Anantnag, DFA Baramulla, Sopore Zone and Pattan Zone, DFA Budgam, DFA Kulgam, DFA Shopian, DFA Pulwama, DFA Ganderbal, DFA Zone Kupwara and Handwara, DFA Bandipora Zone, Hajin Zone, DFA Kargil and DFA Leh will send their teams for Kashmir province after the culmination of district leagues.
Similarly, DFA Jammu, DFA Kathua, DFA Samba, DFA Reasi, DFA Udhampur, DFA Rajouri, DFA Poonch, DFA Doda, DFA Ramban, DFA Kishtwar will send their respective teams from Jammu province.
The participating teams have strength of 20 players each with three officials. Besides Srinagar, the matches are being played in Anantnag, Baramulla, Sopore, Bandipora, Pattan, Hajin, Handwara, Kupwara, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Ganderbal, Budgam, Leh and Kargil.
