SPO-KHELO-FOOTBALL

Khelo India: Punjab, Kerala post big wins infootball

Pune, Jan 10 (PTI)Mixed fortunes marked Kerala's

opening fixtures in theKhelo India Youth Gamesfootball

competition here Thursday with their Under-21 boys team

dropping a point to Chandigarh and their Under-17 girls

swamping Himachal Pradesh by a 28-0 margin.

Dhruvgave Chandigarh the lead in the 62nd minute, but

nine minutes later Habeeb Rahman fired the equaliser to save a

point for Kerala, a media release issued here said.

In the girls match, Kerala rode onMeghnas seven-goal

blitz as the hapless Himachal Pradeshgirls were put to the

sword.

Other scorers for the southern team included Sona (5),

Sreelakshmi and Amaya (3 each) and Abhirami, Bhagya, Theertha

and Ananya (2 apece).

Led by a brace fromS Longjam, Punjab opened their

campaign with awhirlwind 6-1 win over Uttarakhandin the boys

U-17 section.

Tamil Nadu had to wage a grim battle to down Odisha

1-0 in their U-21 girlsopener.

MariyammalBalamurugam's strike in the seventhminute

turning out to be the match-winner.

Later, scoring twice in each half,Karnatakacollected

full pointswith a 4-1 win over Mizoram in the U-21

tournament.

Alfred Lal Routsang and Sumit Kumar Puran scored in

the first half, while Khwairakpam C Singh and Michael

Touthangboosted the scoreline after the break.

For Mizoram, H P Lalremruata scoredthe consolation

goal.

There was consolation in the Under-17 competition for

Mizoram who got the better of hosts Maharashtra 3-0.

InaU-21 girls match, Mizoram easily trounced

Himachal Pradesh 13-0.

Lalchhanhimi, Miriam Lalnunsiami (four each)

Lalrinmuani (3) and Lalnuntluangi (2)were the scorers.

Results: U-21 (Boys) KeraladrewwithChandigarh 1-1,

Mizoram bt Maharashtra3-0.

U-17 (Boys) Punjab beat Uttrakhand6-1, Karnataka bt

Mizoram 4-1.

U-21 (Girls): Tamil Nadu btOdisha 1-0, Mizorambt

Himachal 13-0.

U-17 (Girls): Keralabt Himachal Pradesh 28-0 Odisha

bt Maharashtra 2-0.