The Kozhikode leg of the second edition of Mahindra Youth Football Challenge, organised by Mahindra, Procam International and Kozhikode District Football Association (KDFA) kicked off at the EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode on December 27, 2011. The tournament-cum-talent-hunt for school boys below the age of 14 will be held in two legs, at Kozhikode and Kochi, in Kerala.
On the opening day of the Kozhikode leg, NNM Higher Secondary School (Chelembra), PMAS Higher Secondary School (Elangoor), Silver Hills Public School (Paropady) and Christ Vidyaniketan School (Irinjalakuda) registered wins over their opponents. In the inaugural match, NNM HSS (Chelembra) nicked past PTM High School (Kodiyathoor) with a 1-0 scoreline.
In the second match, Government HSS (Beypore) were defeated by PMAS HSS (Elangoor) 3-1 in the penalty shoot outs after both teams played out a goalless draw in the regulation time. Silver Hills also had to take the game into the tie breakers to score a 4-2 in over Government High School (Nallalam). In the last match of day 1, Christ Vidyaniketan School defeated Government Vocational Higher Secondary School (Kinassery) 1-0.
In the matches to be held on Day 2, Zamorin's Higher Secondary School (Thali) will face MSP Higher Secondary School (Malappuram) and Oriental Public School (Edavanna) takes on NSS Higher Secondary School (Meenchanda).
32 teams will compete in the Kozhikode leg of the Mahindra Youth Football Challenge. The winner of the Kozhikode leg and Kochi leg will face each other to decide which team will represent Kerala in the all India level of the tournament. MYFC is the Mahindra Group’s commitment to promote football at the grassroots level. The company has partnered with Scottish football giants, Celtic Football Club, who will take on the responsibility of training and grooming young talent identified through the initiative.
Winners from each city gaining Rs. 30,000, the runners-up team Rs. 20,000 and the 3rd placed winner Rs. 15,000. The teams that reach the last eight stages will be provided with kitting, while the winners and runners-up teams will be awarded trophies with each player from these teams getting a kit bag. Similarly, there will be a ‘Star Performer of the Game’ trophy for each match from the quarter-final stage and ‘Best Player of the Tournament’ Trophy to be won.
The champion school of the Mahindra Youth Football Challenge will receive a cash prize of Rs 50,000, along with the winner’s trophy, while the runner-up team will win a cash prize of Rs 30,000 and a trophy. There will also be awards such as Star Performer of the Game and individual appreciation trophies for the Best Striker, Best Midfielder, Best Defender and Best Goalkeeper. Each player from the six teams in the Inter-City League will be given two pairs of kitting (Jersey, Shorts & Stockings), while travel, out of pocket expenses during the travel, and lodging & boarding of all the six schools will be taken care of by MYFC.
From the archive. First published on footballkerala.com on Wednesday 28 December 2011, restored from the site's 2012 database. Text as originally published.