The Indian Football Association (West Bengal) yesterday announced the schedule and Format of the 1st Shyam Sundar Women’s Gold Cup. This championship is one of the major IFA initiatives aimed at promoting women’s football in the state. The announcement was made by IFA Honorary Secretary U.K. Ganguli and the Director of Shyam Sundar Co. Jewellers, Rupak Saha.The top eight teams of the recently concluded Calcutta Women’s Football League have been invited to participate in the inaugural edition of the tournament which will be played on a knockout basis. The Tournament will be played from May 18 to 29 and all matches will be played at the Howrah Municipal Stadium .Speaking on the occasion Utpal Kumar Ganguli said, “A noble step has been taken by ShyamSundar Co. Jewellers. We hope that this step will also encourage similar support from other corporate houses as such support is essential for IFA to develop the available talents in Bengal particularly in the sphere of women’s soccer. The prospect of women’s soccer in the state is quite bright.””What they really require is a sound planning and financial assistance for their proper grooming. It’s may not be too far that we can see girls from the state donning jerseys in professional clubs of Europe. I earnestly hope that 1st Shyam Sundar Women’s Football Cup will fill the much necessary gap and provide them with a platform to showcase their talents,” Mr. Ganguli added.
Rupak Saha speaking on behalf of Shyam Sundar Co. Jewellers, expressed satisfaction in associating his company with the IFA’s plan of developing Women’s Football in Bengal. He also emphasized the need of popularizing women’s football which has great potential. He fondly remembered a number of quality women footballers – Shanti Mallick, Kuntala Ghosh Dastidar, Minati Das, the late Roma Das, Shukla Dutta, Shukla Nag amongst others who dazzled fans with their skills and brought laurels for the country as well as for the state. Shanti Mallick stays the first and the sole women footballer in the country to be awarded the prestigious Arjuna award in 1983.
The winners will receive a trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000, while the runners-up will receive a trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 25,000. Further the losing semifinalists will receive a cash prize of Rs. 10,000. Prizes will also be awarded to the Player of the Tournament, Best Player of the Final and Highest Goal Scorer in the Tournament.
FIXTURES
Quarterfinals18-May-2013: West Bengal Police – Bally Gramanchal KS20-May-2013: Taltala Dipti Sangha – Yubak Sangha, Barasat21-May-2013: Youth Footballers Women Association – Manick Football CC22-May-2013: GC Roy Memorial FC – Sarajioni Naidu OSC
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