Guwahati: Gauhati Press Club (GPC) claimed victory in the Harendra Nath Baruah Memorial Inter-Media Football Championship by defeating United Media Group 2-1 in a thrilling final at Nehru Stadium on Thursday. The intense match was decided through a sudden death shootout after both regulation time and the tie-breaker ended in a stalemate.
GPC advanced to the final with a narrow win over Prasar Bharati, thanks to a solitary goal in the semifinal. In the final, they displayed strong attacking intent but faced stiff resistance from United Media Group. United Media Group, who had stunned defending champions Assam Sports Journalists Association in their semifinal with a single-goal victory, showcased grit and determination throughout the match.
Both teams scored once during the tie-breaker, forcing the game into sudden death, where GPC managed to edge past United Media Group to secure the championship.
Kishore Talukdar, the veteran goalkeeper of GPC, was named Player of the Tournament for his stellar goalkeeping performances throughout the competition.
United Media Group featured several notable players, including Shahnawaz Hamza from Guwahati Times, Nibir Deka from News X, Abhinav Baruah from Prag Channel, Nishanta Borah from News X, Nakul Rabha from Hornbill TV, Diganta Kalita from India Daily Live, Madhav Baishya from NDTV, Swapnil Gogoi from Rengoni, Swaif Akhter from Newz Now, Raisuddin Ahmed, Shah Alom from Newz Now, and Pinku Moni from My News Ne, Ratnadip Choudhury from NDTV as Team Manager, and Saraswat Kashyap from Aaj Tak as Assistant to Manager .
The tournament not only showcased intense competition but also fostered camaraderie and sportsmanship among media professionals from various organizations.
