Igniting the fire of football, the game that once ruled the roost in the state, the second edition of Goal, the inter-collegiate football tournament, was kicked off in Sacred Heart College on Wednesday. It was in January 2012 that the tournament was launched to revive the spirit of football and to unearth budding talents on campuses.
Union Minister for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation Ajay Maken lit the lamp and inaugurated the event. He lauded the efforts of The New Indian Express in reviving the game.
Actor Mammootty hoisted the Goal flag. CPI state secretary Panniyan Ravindran and BJP state president V Muraleedharan, ace football players during their youth and ardent football fans, honoured the Santosh Trophy-winning football team of 1973.
The youth thronged the venue not only to catch a glimpse of the superstar but also to support Goal and strengthen the spirit of football in the state.