Image: Northeast Now

A 19-member team has left on Saturday to represent Sikkim in the T Ao Northeast Football Championship 2019.

The football tournament is being held from January 18 to 28 at IG Stadium in Nagaland capital Kohima.

Sikkim has been placed in Group-B along with Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram for group stage.

Sikkim will be playing its first match against Assam on January 21, which will be followed by second match against Meghalaya on January 23 and last match against Mizoram on January 25 next.

The state team members are Urgen Pintso Sherpa, Nindup Lepcha, Afzal Ansari, Sameer Pradhan, Sonam Zangpo Bhutia, Kintup Lachungpa, Tempa Lhendup Bhutia, Dawa Sherpa, Klip Namgyal Barfungpa, Don Tshering Lepcha, Prashant Chettri, Roshan Pradhan, Ashish Chettri, Milan Chettri, Sanjay Rai, Mayal Dok Lepcha, Sanjay Chettri, Sonam Tshering Bhutia and Zamyang Bhutia.

The team has been led by Sanjay Chettri as team camp and has also been accompanied by Arjun Rai as team manager and Mayal Dok Lepcha as team coach.

During a see-off programme at Paljor Stadium, secretary to Sports & Youth Affairs Department, Kuber Bhandari expressed his best wishes to the state team members for the championship.

He also handed over track-suits and jerseys to the team members.

He also conveyed best wishes of the chief minister P S Golay to the state team members.

Sagar Chhetri is Northeast Now Correspondent in Gangtok. He can be reached at: [email protected]