SPORTS

BAGAN ANNEX FEDERATION CUP

DEMPO Sports Club, Zee-Churchill Ltd, Salgaocar Sports Club, Sporting Clube de Goa and Vasco Sports Club travelled to Chennai to fight for the Federation Cup this year. Among the quintet, only Dempo Sports Club assumed a winning pose and made it to the finals for the second time.

En route to the finals of the Federation cup, Dempo Sports Club carried the day with a 1-0 victory over FC Kochi, and earned the right to meet JCT Club in the quarters. Goa's Vasco Club took former champions JCT Club into extra time, before succumbing to a 1-0 defeat. Dempo Sports Club, however, defeated JCT Mills 1-0,

Newcomers Sporting Clube De Goa also had a fine outing when they quelled the challenge of last year's National league champions East Bengal, and moved into the quarter-finals of the Federation Cup Football Championship, with a 1-0 victory, following a brilliant goal scored by Alex Colaco in the second half. Sporting Clube de Goa flew past Tollygunje Aggrami of Kolkata 2-1. But Sporting met its waterloo when Dempo handed them a 2-1 defeat in the semi-finals. Dempo moved on to the finals.

Former champions Salgaocar Sports Club defeated Punjab Police 5-4 (via tie-breaker) to move into the quarter-finals. But they found Mohun Bagan tough customers and suffered a 3-1 defeat. Mohun Bagan also beat Air India 2-1.
Francis Coelho's lone goal helped Zee Churchill defeat State Bank of Travancore 1-0 and enter the quarter finals, where they lost to Mahindra United 1-0.

Defending champions Mohun Bagan, who defeated Mahindra United 2-0, with Jose Barretto Ramirez and James Singh, scoring a goal each, to set up a clash with Dempo. However, Dempo could not produce their best against Bagan in the finals at Chennai on August 30. In their only other Federation Cup final, Dempo had lost to East Bengal in 1996. Jose Barreto Ramirez and Abdullateef Seriki scored once in each half to ensure Mohun Bagan's victory to lift the Federation Cup this year too.

ZEE CHURCHILL VICTORS

The GFA's Championship trophy charity match provided exciting soccer for the jam-packed stands of Mapusa's Duler ground on August 12. Zee Churchill Sports Ltd humbled Arlem-sponsored Vasco Sports Club 2-0. Churchill's bustling skipper Roque Barretto booted in both the goals. The second goal came from a penalty kick when Vasco keeper Rogerio Ramos fouled Churchill's Francis Silveira, who had positioned himself to score in front of the yawning goalmouth. The goalkeeper under the Vasco bar was a White, while the Churchill one was a Black. The proceeds of the charity match, totalling Rs.57,056, were meant for Goa's former star footballer Bernardo Pereira, whose son Keegan, is being treated for leukemia.

VASCO JUBILEE GAMES

Mahindra United, Mumbai, defeated Arlem-sponsored Vasco Sports Club in an exhibition match to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Vasco Sports Club at Fatorda on September 2. In the veteran's match. In an earlier match, Goa veterans beat Vasco SC Veterans 1-0, with Bento Andrew scoring the golden goal. Playing for Vasco, former striker Bernard Pereira brought back nostalgic memories of those heady days when his team figured among the most popular teams in the country.

SUPPORT FOR BERNARD: Vasco Sports Club handed a cheque of Rs.1 lakh to Bernard Pereira for the treatment of his son Keegan, who is suffering from leukemia. Other contributors were: AIFF (Rs.50,000), GFA (Rs.57,500), Rs.50,000 from the auction of Vasco Sport Club's jersey, Mariano's tiatr "Aiz Amkam Dhi" (Rs.70,000), "Mog Korat" show (Rs.2,000), amount collected by Alvita Alphonso (Rs.8,376), Friends Circle of Quitula in Aldona (Rs.54,000), etc.

GOAN PLAYERS FOR SAF, AAG GAMES: Mahesh Gawli of Zee Churchill, Samir Naik of Dempo, Robert Fernandes and Alvito D'Cunha of Salgaocar, Felix D'Souza of Sporting Club, Clifford Miranda of Dempo and Francis Andrade of Sporting Club, figure among the eight Goans selected to prepare the team for the forthcoming Afro Asian and SAF Games. RS.1 CRORE FOR SUCCESSFUL GOAN OLYMPIAN: Sports Minister Sanjay Bandekar has instituted a cash prize of Rs.1 crore to any sportsperson, who brings laurels to the State at the Olympic Games. Bandekar said that the task was difficult but not impossible.

JUNIOR ASIAN BASEBALL: Abhijit Govekar and Santosh Raut, who were responsible for winning the gold medals at the Baseball Nationals, have been selected for the nine-member Baseball team, which will participate in the championships in Taiwan.

COCONUT-BREAKING CONTEST: The parishioners of Carambolim will comanise an open coconut-breaking contest on August 29 at the Carambolim church grounds at 3.00 pm.