BHUBANESWAR 25-Sep-2016
Tata Steel continued to gratify the politicians, bureaucrats and mediapersons of the state by staging the Tata Steel Friendship Cup Football Tournament for the ninth time at Kalinga Stadium here today. Media XI regained the trophy after a gap of seven years, edging out last five years’ champions Bureaucrats XI 6-3 in the final, via tie-breaker.
Tie-breaker was applier after play in the regulation time ended in 1-1 draw. After conceding a self goal, Media XI bounced back to level the score with their star player Bikash Marandi netting the equaliser through a penalty kick.
As has been the tradition, four teams participated in the day-long extravaganza that culminated with a cocktail dinner at Hotel Mayfair Lagoon. Earlier in the two semifinals, Bureaucrat XI scraped past Legislators’ XI 1-0, while Media XI got the better of host Tata Steel XI 5-3 in penalty shoot out.
Ashok Apat and Raj Ghosal of Media XI were adjudged as the best defender and best scorer of the tournament respectively. Saswat Mishra, Ajay Kumar Mohapatra and Debidutta Biswal of Bureaucrats’ XI received the prizes as the best mid-fielder, best forward and best goalkeeper in descending order.
OERC Chairman Rajesh Burma, S P Nanda, Tata Steel Vice-president Arun Misra gave away the trophy and prizes at the presentation ceremony. The tournament was inaugurated by Odisha Assembly speaker Nirajan Pujari.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOTO: Members of Media XI celebrate their title triumph in Bhubaneswar on Sept 25, 2016.
