Vasco SC to host Arlem Cup

Six leading teams -- Air India, India under-16, Dempo Sports Club, State Bank of Travancore, Sporting Club de Goa and host Vasco Sports Club -- will vie for honours in the Arlem Cup football tournament, to be organised by Vasco Sports Club, at two different venues in Goa from February 9 to 17.

Vasco Sports Club secretary Savio Messias and Vijay Chowgule of Arlem Breweries told reporters in Panaji, Goa, on Wednesday that the matches will be held at Duler ground, Mapusa, and the Tilak Maidan in the port town of Vasco Da Gama.

The six teams have been divided into two groups, with Group 'A' comprising Dempo, Sporting Club de Goa and State Bank, and Group 'B' comprising Air India, India Under-16 and Vasco.

Dempo will clash with Sporting Club on the opening day.

The matches will be played on a league-cum-knock-out basis and the top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals.

Taking advantage of the 25-day break in the National Football League, due to the ongoing Durand Cup, Messias said they felt it appropriate to organise a mini tournament with the main aim of helping the teams participating in the second division National Football League get the much-needed competitive match practice.

The semi-finals will be played on February 15 and the final on February 17 after a rest day on February 16.

The final will be preceeded by a women's exhibition match between the under-19 India A and B teams.

There will be a player-of-the-match award for each match.

The India Under-16 team, which is undergoing training since the last four months in Bangalore under the watchful eye of Islam Akmedov and Prasanta Banerjee, will also particpate in the Asia Under-17 tournament.

Following is the schedule for the nine-day tournament:
February 9: Dempo vs Sporting Clube de Goa
February 10: Vasco vs India U-16
February 11: SBT vs Sporting Clube
February 12: Air India vs India U-16
February 13: Air India vs Vasco and Dempo vs SBT
February 15: Semi-finals at Duler ground and Tilak Maidan.
February 17: Final.

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