Last Updated: February 20, 2024, 20:31 IST
Santosh Tophy (AIFF Image)
A complete of 12 groups will compete within the closing rounds of the Santosh Trophy, which is being held in Arunachal Pradesh for the primary time.
The closing rounds of 77th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2023-24 will start with a match between Meghalaya and Services right here on Wednesday.
A complete of 12 groups will compete within the closing rounds of the Santosh Trophy, which is being held in Arunachal Pradesh for the primary time.
While hosts Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Goa, Assam, Services and Kerala are clubbed in Group A, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, Manipur, Mizoram and Railways are positioned in Group B.
The event will happen in Yupia, Itanagar from February 21 until March 9.
The closing 4 stage of the nation’s premier state event final 12 months was held in Saudi Arabia the place Karnataka gained the title after 54 years.
A complete of 37 matches will likely be performed due to the enlargement of the knockout stage. The high 4 groups from every group will progress to the quarter-finals.
The ongoing I-League 2 season has taken a break to enable gamers to signify their states within the Santosh Trophy.
In different matches on the opening day, Assam will tackle Kerala whereas Goa will play hosts Arunachal Pradesh.
“The importance of the Santosh Trophy cannot be stressed enough as it gives young players the chance to shine. Clubs can identify and unearth talent. It’s great to see the tournament spread to new places, and I can’t wait to come to Arunachal Pradesh and witness the excitement,” AIFF Technical Committee chairperson IM Vijayan mentioned.
While head coach Khlain Pyrkhat Syiemlieh will miss a couple of key names who’re half of Shillong Lajong squad within the I-League, Meghalaya nonetheless have a bunch of gamers from final 12 months’s crew like Sheen Stevenson Sohktung, Dawanchwa Carlos Challam, Damonlang Pathaw and Brolington Warlarpih.
The group additionally incorporates sturdy sides like Goa and Kerala. Goa have one of probably the most skilled squads within the closing spherical, with most of their gamers coming from I-League 2 sides Sporting Clube de Goa and Dempo SC.
Services and Assam may also hope to make it to the knockouts.
Karnataka, like Meghalaya, even have misplaced some essential names from final 12 months like Robin Yadav, Bekey Oram and M Sunil Kumar.
Maharashtra, who led the objective-scoring charts within the group stage with a whopping 24 targets in 5 matches, are one of the favourites in Group B.
Manipur have been one other free-scoring aspect, netting 21 targets within the first spherical.
Delhi, then again, are a aspect that made it into the ultimate spherical on the premise of a rock-strong defence, eking out three 1-0 wins. The crew from the nationwide capital gained their solely Santosh Trophy title in 1945.
Mizoram and Railways, each of whom certified as the very best runners-up sides, spherical up Group B.
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – PTI)
