Srinagar: In the ongoing State Football League-2017, only one Premier Division match was played at Synthetic Turf TRC here on Thursday (Oct 27) between J&K Police XI and Maharaja Sports which ended in a 1-1 draw.
In the closely contested match, both the teams missed several scoring oppurtunities. Zaid opened account for the Maharaja Sports in 22nd minute of the match. After conceding a lead, Police XI players attacked the opposite goalpost several times, but they failed to send the ball into the goal post. However, in 35th minute of the play, Tanveer scored an equaliser for the Police team and the first half ended with score line reading 1-1.
After that both the teams tried their best to take the lead, but failed to do so. In the last minutes of the game, players from both the sides stepped up the attacks, but failed at the last hurdle. When the referee blew the final whistle the score line read 1-1. Zahid from Maharaja Sports was decalared as player of the match.
Meanwhile, the State Football League, a mega event first of its kind in the history of J&K football, is going on at different venues of the state with full swing drawing huge crowds to the football venues. More than 500 football teams and clubs with over 12000 players and over 1500 team officials are participating in the mega event, the aim of which is to unearth the hidden talent across the State.
The event is being held across the 22 districts of the state these days and is being organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Football Association (JKFA) under the auspices of State Sports Council and on the directions of All India Football Federation (AIFF).
While B-Division 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.
