The five-nation tournament featuring teams from USA, South Korea, Tanzania, Malaysia and hosts India will be played in a league format from May 12-26 at Tilak Maidan, Vasco. BITS Pilani, Chicalim and Nagoa (Salcete) grounds have been allocated as practice venues
Basil Sylvester Pinto
Panaji
Football aficionados of Goa are in for some qualitative football action of international standard with a 5-nation U-16 football tournament set to be held from May 12-26.
The tournament, which will feature teams from USA, South Korea, Tanzania, Malaysia and India, would be played in a league format. With the Indian team camping in Goa for a while now, the other teams are slated to arrive on May 12. The tournament is set to take place at Tilak Maidan, Vasco, with BITS Pilani, Chicalim and Nagoa (Salcete) grounds allocated as practice venues.
The tournament has generated much enthusiasm for the outstation teams, so much so that the manager of the Tanzanian team was in Goa a week ago to assess the facilities for the tournament to be held in Goa from mid-May.
The top two teams in the league format tourney will play the finals, while there would be an encounter for the third and fourth place as well.
The tournament has been organised mainly for the Indian U-16 team to gain exposure from playing teams from across continents before they embark to Germany for further training.
This tournament holds a lot of significance for the Indian team ahead of the U-17 World Cup to be held in the State next year to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of international opposition. It also gives the local fans of the most popular global sport, a first real opportunity to witness their national team live in action prior to the mega event next year.
