Pune FC braved a rain soaked evening and clinched a narrow 1-0 win over Royal Wahingdoh FC.
FC Goa started their Indian Super League (ISL) football campaign on a convincing note after dispatching Delhi Dynamos 2-0 at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, in Goa, on Sunday.
India will be up against UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iran in the group stages of AFC U-16 Championship as the draw for the event, which will act as a dress rehearsal for next year's FIFA U-17 World Cup, was held amid much fanfare in Panaji, Goa on Thursday. The tournament begins on September 15 and matches will be held at Fatorda and Bambolim Stadium in Goa. The final is slated to be played on October 2. The top two teams from each groups will qualify for the quarter-finals. In case India, who are in Group A, advance to the semi-finals, the winner of play-off 3 will also qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup. Conducted by Shin Mangil, Director of Competitions, Asian Football Confederation, the ceremony was attended by Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Secretary of All India Football Federation Kushal Das and U-17 World Cup Tournament Director Javier Ceppi among others. The 16 participating teams were divided into four groups.
Brazilian football legend and FC Goa coach Zico has apologised to football fans of the state for failing to win the Indian Super League title but said that his team gave its all to win the tournament though unsuccessful in the end.
In a massive reprieve for FC Goa, the Appeals Panel of Indian Super League, on Friday, revoked the 15-point penalty imposed on the club for "bringing disrepute" to the event following last year's final besides reducing the Rs 11 crore fine and lifting the ban on the franchise owners.
Ranti Martins missed a penalty and the chance to score his 200th goal in the country's top league.
Indian Super League side FC Goa, which was slapped a Rs 11 crore fine and their co-owners Shrinivas Dempo and Dattaraj Salgaocar banned for two and three seasons respectively, has challenged the order of the tournament's regulatory commission.
Football fans in Goa are shaking off their sussegado and becoming an animated, raucous, even belligerent lot.
