Bruno Coutinho’s sublime free kick late in the game rounded off an impressive display by Sporting Clube, Goa in the final of the All India Veterans Football tournament at the KSA Ground as the visitors emphatically dispatched Air India 3-0 to claim to the winner’s bounty of Rs. 1,00,000.

Sporting dominated for long spells with their possession play and scored at regular intervals to reinforce their lead. The central midfield pair of Savio Medeira and Alfred Fernandes put in yet another vintage performance. 

 

Sporting made an early breakthrough courtesy a well taken strike by Willy Moraes in the 9th minute. The defender was in the right place at the right time as he hammered a shot from outside the box into the bottom corner. Goal! 1-0 to the men in Orange!

The Goan outfit came close to scoring minutes later with a powerful long range effort by #13 which went inches over the upright. Left wingback Johnny Pereira was creating all sorts of problems for the opposition defenders with his darting runs along the flanks to support the Sporting attacks. 

 

Air-Men Counter 

Air India pushed forward in search of an equaliser and almost found one after a good individual run by David Cardoza. The forward dribbled past the entire Sporting defence in the box with only the keeper to beat however his scuffed attempt at goal was easily saved.

With rolling substitutions in full flow, fresh legs were regularly introduced on the pitch. Sporting’s Domingos Vaz wasted no time to mark his introduction after a great run on the left wing by floating an inviting cross into the box for forward Derrik Pereira, whose first time shot was well saved by the Air India keeper, Shyam Sawant. 

 

Sporting go Two Clear  

The Goans doubled their lead midway through the second half. Off a well directed corner by Ignaccio Viggas, medio Savio Mederia rose above the Air India defence to head home the second. Goal! 2-0 to Sporting.

Viggas, provider of the second goal, almost turned goal scorer within minutes. The midfielder unleashed a powerful shot from twenty yards out which forced a full stretch save by keeper, Sawant. 

 

Sporting sealed the victory with a third goal late in the game. After forcing a foul on the edge of the penalty area, up stepped Bruno Coutinho to take charge of the situation. His resultant free kick was an absolute beauty - curling over the wall and into the far corner, with the keeper barely moving an inch - as the former India captain showed a rare glimpse of his genuis. Goal! 3-0.

In the end, Sporting Clube were crowned champions of the All India Veterans Football Tournament. The team from Goa were a cut above the rest and had won over the crowd with the consistent performances.