Manipur women beat Myanmar in friendly football match

Our Correspondent

Imphal, Nov. 30 (EMN): The Manipur women’s football team defeated Myanmar’s Mandalay team 1-0 in a friendly football match at the historic Mapal Kangjeibung, the oldest polo ground in the world, in Imphal on Saturday, November 30.

The 3rd edition of the friendly match was organised as part of the ongoing Manipur Sangai Festival, aiming to foster a close relation between India and Myanmar. The endeavour is to connect Myanmar with Manipur through sports besides further development of trade and economy between the two regions.

In an earlier match played at Kakching district headquarters, an important place along the Indo-Myanmar highway, Manipur women’s football team also beat Myanmar’s Saigang women’s football team by a similar goal margin.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Kakching MLA Y Surchandra, Convenor RK Shivachandra of State Level Committee for Actualisation of Act East Policy, Director Y Myo Myint Aung of Ministry of Health and sports, Mandalay and Head Coach U Maung Maung of Saigang Region witnessed the day’s friendly match.

Speaking on the occasion, Manipur Chief Minister Biren said that Sangai Festival has now become an International Festival as it attracts various foreign entrepreneurs and tourists to participate in the festival adding that considering the public demand, the festival which was scheduled to end on Saturday has been extended till December 2.

Informing that Imphal-Mandalay chartered flight service has been started to strengthen the friendly relations between India and Myanmar, he said, “The state government is persuading the Centre for a regular Imphal-Mandalay flight service soon.”

On the other hand responding to questions by reporters on the sideline of the football match, Myanmar Director Y Myo Myint Aung said that it was encouraging to see certain development projects including the widening of Indo-Myanmar highway which are coming in Manipur in the recent past. He also expressed his desire to introduce some of the traditional sports of Myanmar including Myanmar national sport Chinlone (Burmese) also known as cane ball in the upcoming festivals in Manipur.

The 50 members Sagaing and Mandalay football teams arrived in Manipur by road on November 28. Manipur and Sagaing were landlocked states until the opening of border trade and subsequent borders gates of the two countries.