HOSTS and defending champions Nagpur started their quest to retain the title on a thumping note as they went on to thrash Chandrapur 3-0 in their opening Group A encounter of Western India Football Association’s State Inter-District Football Championship for Men at Dr Ambedkar Stadium in Suyog Nagar on Friday evening. Owais Ashraf scored twice while Mohd Rizwan added another in the dying moments as Nagpur collected three points from the match. Owais bulged the net in 32nd and 56th minutes while Rizwan scored in the added time to complete the rout. In another match,

 

Pune edged past Raigad by two goals to one to make a winning start. For Pune, Sumit Singh (3rd) and Yash Salunke (23rd) scored the goals while for Raigad, Sujay Lohar (33rd) reduced the margin. In the last match of the evening played under lights, Mumbai defeated Aurangabad 4-0 with Saurabh Nikam (13th) and Mohd Arafat (50th, 77th, 80+1) scoring the goals Earlier, the tournament was inaugurated by Rajesh Jain, Plant Head, JSW. Rinku Singh Chaudhary, DGM, JSW, Haresh Vora, President, NDFA, Iqbal Kashmiri, Secretary, Stanley Gregory, Secretary, Dhanraj More, Observer, WIFA and others were also present.