Mangalore :  Fr Alwin Serrao, Principal of Rosario College of Management inaugurated the 17th edition of the Independence Cup football tournament organized by Dakshina Kannada District Football Association (DKDFA) held at Nehru Maidan on July 20, Saturday.

More than 200 teams in six categories will participate in month-long tournament.

Speaking after inaugurating the event, he said that Cricket at the present is known as superior to all the sports, but other sports have not gained equal respect. Indian national games like Hockey is hardly seen anymore but the games like football have managed to survive.

Organising tournament is difficult, but football association is done it and the players must take the opportunity to enjoy themselves.

The first match was played between Sacred Heart Higher Primary School, Kulshekar and SDM Higher Primary School, Ujire.

KDFA president D M Aslam said that 54 teams in the high school boys’and 10 in the girls category have been registered. A total of 27 teams in the higher primary boys and seven in girl’s category and 27 teams from PU colleges have registered.

Assistant General Manager of Corporation Bank Govind H Pai, corporator Diwakar, Karnataka State Football Association (KSFA) member Vijaya Suvarna and DKDFA secretary Mohammed Hussain Bolar and others were present.