Shillong, Apr 8: Meghalaya won the North East Zonal Blind Football Tournament by defeating Nagaland 1-0 in the men’s final in Aizawl yesterday.
Organised by the Indian Blind Football Federation and hosted by the Mizoram Blind Sports Association, there were four men’s teams and only two women’s teams that participated.
Klingson D Marak scored the lone goal in the final for Meghalaya. He was the tournament’s top scorer and received an individual award for this at the prize distribution ceremony.
Another Meghalayan, Johnborlang Pyngrope, was adjudged the Player of the Tournament.
The Emerging Player and Best Goalkeeper Awards both went to players from Nagaland – Mighito Yeptho and Rongsenyangek respectively.
Hosts Mizoram finished the tournament in third place and Assam in fourth place.
In the women’s category, Mizoram defeated Assam 3-1 to take the title.
Last year Meghalaya participated in the women’s and men’s categories and finished runners-up in both. The state’s men’s team are also three-time national champions.
In blind football, all players except the goalkeeper are blindfolded and are assisted by a coach and a goal guide. The players are guided by the sound of the ball, which contains bells. The goalkeeper, goal guide (who stays behind the opposite goal) and the coach (who runs along the side of the pitch) are the three sighted assistants who call out and direct the players to move with the ball.
(Photos: Blind Football India/Facebook)
