Bhubaneswar, Jun 9 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday attended the first match of the Intercontinental Cup, in which India beat lower-ranked Mongolia 2-0.

Patnaik said he was delighted that Odisha was hosting the football tournament at the iconic Kalinga Stadium.

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"This exemplifies Odisha's dedication to establishing itself as a prominent football hub in India. I am confident that the participating international teams will have a remarkable experience competing at this venue," he said

Football enthusiasts from the state will have the opportunity to witness an exceptional display of the sport, he added.

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Patnaik assured AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey of full support for the development of football in the state.

Chaubey thanked the chief minister for hosting the championship, and appreciated the state government's role in development of football.

The Kalinga Stadium earlier hosted ISL, IWL and Super Cup, among others.

Besides India and Mongolia, Lebanon and Vanuatu are participating in the tournament.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)