Host Sundargarh lifted the Sahani Cup, beating Cuttack in the final of the 61st Senior Men Inter-District Football Championship at Bhawanipur Sports Complex in Sundargarh today. Sundargarh won the hard-fought final match 4-2 in penalty shoot out after play in regulation time ended in goalless draw.
In the tie-breaker, Kishore Khadia, Amit Kerketta, Dasarath Munda and Mahesh Pradhan scored for Sundargarh, while D Srinath and Rudra Prasad Pradhan netted for Cuttack. The champion and runner-up teams received Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively as cash prizes, given by GS Sahani Trust. Besides, Sundargarh District Athletic Association declared a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh for the champion team.
Mahesh Pradhan of Sundargarh was declared man of the final match, while his teammate Amit Kumar Tanty was adjudged both man of the tournament and best goalkeeper. Bikash Sahoo and D Srinath (both Cuttack) claimed the prizes as emerging player and best defender of the tournament respectively.
Odisha Olympic Association Secretary Avijit Paul graced the closing ceremony as chief guest and handed over the trophy. A total of 31 affiliated units of Football Association of Odisha (FAO) participated in this championship. Sundargarh Collector Nikhil Pavan Kalyan graced the opening ceremony as chief guest in Sundargarh.
District Sub-Collector Avimanyu Behera, FAO vice-presidents Rabi Narayan Panda and Rajendra Kumar, Sundargarh District Athletic Association secretary Prabhat Kumar Bhol and FAO Head of Referees Durga Madhab Naik were present on the occasion.
RESULTS:
6 February, 2021:
At Sundargarh: Deogarh (Chakra Kissan 3, Suman Babu 1) beat Kendrapara 4-0.
7 February, 2021:
At Sundargarh: Angul beat Nayagarh 1-0.
At Kinjirma: Cuttack beat Keonjhar 7-0.
At Sebatibahal: Bhubaneswar beat Ganjam 6-0 and Bolangir beat Khurda 5-1.
At Tasaladihi: Boudh beat Jajpur 1-0 and Sambalpur beat Jagatsinghpur 3-1.
8 February, 2021:
At Sundargarh: Jharsuguda (Bijay Oram 69, 92) beat Nabarangpur 2-0. Sundargarh (Swadhin Bhadai 25, Mahesh Pradhan 38, Ajay Munda 65, Kishore Khadia 68, 70) beat Deogarh (Raja Mayato 47) 5-1.
At Kinjirma: Kandhamala (Rajesh Naik 8, Fagu Hembram 13, Hari Sankar Naik 36, Ramesh Naik 60) beat Paradip Port Trust (Pradeep Toppo 24) 4-1. Bhadrak beat Dhenkanal (Sukul Murmu 34) 1-0.
At Sebatibahal: Rourkela (Ramesh Oram 7, 19; Janmo Xess 30, Naresh Bhuminj 62, Ashap Ekka 67) beat Nuapada 5-0. Kalahandi got walkover as Malkangiri did not appear.
At Tasaladihi: Koraput (Arjun Muduli 13, 57, 80; Kartik Hantal 33, 76, 90) beat Puri (BB Swain 4) 6-1. Bargarh (AK Behera 1, Antarjami Naik 3, 5, 9, 26; Chandan Mohan Murmu 6, Bishal Tigga 32, 54; Prabhat Dansena 33) beat Gajapati (Aniket Behera 54)
9-1.
9 February, 2021:
At Sundargarh: Angul (Sanjay Hembram 15) beat with Jharsuguda (Rakesh Oram 87) 5-4 in tie-breaker (Fulltime 1-1 draw).
At Kinjirma: Cuttack (Dinabandhu Das 10, 63; Prakash Naik 21, 60) beat Sonepur 4-0. Kandhamal (Bijay Barik 85) beat Bhadrak 1-0.
At Sebatibahal: Bolangir (Fransis Lakra 37, Rinku Mahar 70) beat Bhubaneswar (Jayanta Rout 85) 2-1. Rourkela Steel Plant beat Kalahandi (Ashap Ekka 79) 1-0.
At Tasaladihi: Sambalpur (Bijay Oram 21, 60, 75; Prasant Oram 52, Bisnu Oram 69) beat Boudh 5-0. Bargarh (Chandra Mohan Murmu 15) beat Koraput (Chandra Muduli 57) 6-5 in tie-breaker (Full-time 1-1 draw).
11 February, 2021 (Quarterfinals):
At Sundargarh: Sundergarh (Asanta Kerketta 51, Mahesh Pradhan 67) beat Angul 2-0.
At Kinjirma: Cuttack (D Srinath 82) beat Kandhamal 1-0.
At Sebatibahal: Balangir (Abhimanyu Pandey 10, Bhagaban Chunariya 27, Sourabh Ranjan Hanuman 43) beat Rourkela (Edwin Tirkey 89) 3-1.
At Tasaladihi: Sambalpur (Biju Oram 36, Prasanta Oram 48) beat Bargarh (Chandra Murmu 63) 2-1.
12 February, 2021 (Semifinals):
At Kinjirma: Cuttack (Sk Farid 12, Dinabandhu Das 36, 58, 59; Prakash Naik 55, Bikash Kumar Sahoo 78) beat Bolangir 6-0.
At Tasaladihi: Sundargarh (Kishore Khadia 10, Mahesh Pradhan 64) beat Sambalpur 2-0.
14 February (Final): Sundargarh beat Cuttack 4-2, via penalty shoot out (Full time 0-0).
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PHOTO: Players of champions Sundargarh team with guests and tournament officials at the closing ceremony in Sundargarh on 14 February, 2021.