Shimla United FC, the Champions of the 26th GCM Gold Cup
DHARAMSALA, 13 Oct: Shimla United FC clinched this year’s Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup (GCMGC or GCM) after beating TCB Bir United in the final match of the tournament played on Tuesday.
Shimla United took the lead in the final match played to a packed crowd at Clement Town Tibetan Colony in Dehradun and doubled it before the first half.
However, two goals from TCB United’s striker Jamyang Loden secured a successful come back to the trailing team only to end it on a disappointing note by a conceding in the dying minutes of the second half. TCB Bir UTD, the runner-up of the 2005 edition had to settle for the second position yet again.
Shimla United, the champions of the 26th edition of the GCM, the biggest sporting event in the Tibetan Community took home a cash prize ofINR 150,000 along with its maiden Cup. TCB Bir UTD, the runners-up were awarded a cash prize of INR 100,000.
The Prize money for the winners was sponsored by Kalsang Restaurant and Cafe.
TCB Bir United, the runners-up of the GCM.
The highest scorer, TCB Bir United’s striker Jamyang Loden who scored 7 goals in the tournament won the golden boot. Shimla United’s Rinchen Sangpo who scored the winning goal in the stoppage minute of the extra time was declared the Player of the Tournament while Shimla’s goalkeeper Tashi took home the golden glove. Poanta Porwała United Team was presented with the Fair Play Award.
GCMGC tournament has to be cancelled last year and postponed again this year owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions and measures in place to contain the pandemic.
The tournament was last played in Clement Town in 2014. But this year, the biggest sporting event in the Tibetan Community was played on proper grass pitches for the first time in the history of the tournament. Besides, the matches were officiated by officials from I-League and Indian Super League, the officials of men’s professional football leagues in India.
A total of 10 teams participated in this year’s tournament held from 1st – 12th October in Clement Town Tibetan Colony in Dehradun.
The GCM Gold Cup tournament is played annually in the memory of the great mother of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. GCM football tournament was first held in 1981.
Though the tournament was organized by various bodies for more than twenty years, Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA) took charge of organizing the tournament annually since 2003.
Based on the performance in the GCM tournament, TNSA selects players for the Tibetan National Team which occasionally competes in tournaments held in India as well as foreign countries.
