GFA comatose on asst referee’s assault ; Goa Police seeks security payment
TEAM HERALD
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MAPUSA: A missed penalty cost Young Boys of Tonca (YBT) dearly as they were held to a goalless draw by Goa Police Sports Club in a 10th round First Division football league match at Duler Stadium, here, Thursday. The teams were locked goalless at half time.
After being lax on security measures and doing very little to provide total cover for the referees, the GFA, whose administration is going from bad to worse and several clubs totally unhappy at the way the leadership functions, finally woke up posting two bouncers.
It may be recalled that the match officials were confronted twice, first, on Friday, when the Corps of Signals team threatened the officials over what they complained was poor refereeing and then on Tuesday when a YBT official, alongwith with others and spectators allegedly assaulted assistant referee Savio Fernandes for his blunders that cost them the game against CSM Taleigao. Several clubs have made it known that the bitter rivalry between the two clubs was well known and that GFA ought to have shown some prudence and taken adequate security measures with the zonal Bardez organizing secretary and match commissioner being responsible for the same, which they clearly failed to do. A police complaint and a counter-complaint have been registered at Mapusa Police station. Many others also made no secret that the standard of refereeing was abysmal and that even the GFA referees sub-committee chairman Benjamin D’Silva had also pointed out about the overall poor standards and even indicted Anthony John D’Costa on some grounds in a strong letter addressed to the GFA president.
What’s surprising is that the GFA did not take any disciplinary action following Tuesday’s incidents with the same official who was allegedly involved in the incident being allowed to carry on with his duties as if nothing had happened. In such cases, normally immediate action is taken in acts of violence with immediate suspension until the case is finally decided, but typical of the present GFA, which everyone admits is a divided house, and allowed to be seen as such, there has been no urgency in the matter which again points out to a lackadaisical administrative approach. On disciplinary matters there cannot be two views and the GFA ought to have taken immediate, prompt action based on the referee’s report. In fact, some of today’s referees were surprised that the YBT official who was allegedly involved in the earlier incident was allowed to sit on the team’s bench, but since there was no action by GFA, it was felt there was nothing wrong.
Today’s game was delayed by about 10 minutes as one team delayed coming out from the dressing room and the referee surprizingly remaining a silent spectator. That’s how the GFA has lowered its standards, reminding that such things normally happen only at inter-village tournaments. The official kick off time is 4 p.m. as per the official GFA website.
Surprisingly, Police has been conspicuous by their absence, which is quite normal in inter-village tournaments and not GFA’s. It is learnt that the Mapusa Police has raised a bill amounting several lakh of rupees especially for the security provided during the I-League matches, but it is yet to be cleared by the GFA.
The teams started off positively after Goa Police had collected four points from nine games. YBT at the bottom position with just one point.
The game burst into life in the 14th minute after YBT’s Dickson Rogtao sent a dangerous cross to striker Columban Noronha but the later was
brought down in the box by Goa Police defender Amit Salgaonkar and referee Seby Morais pointed to the penalty spot. However, YBT’s Klinnsman Pereira’s spot kick hit the upright and rebounded into play.
At the other end, Goa Police’s Minguel Barreto made a swift run into the rival territory but his powerful effort hit the side-netting with only YBT goalkeeper Parvaraj Joshi to beat.
Subsequently, in the 29th minute YBT’s Nagesh Naik saw his powerful header hit the horizontal off a well-measured flag-kick from Dhilon Fernandes.
Five minutes later, Goa Police had a glorious chance to open the scoring after Abdul Khan muscled past YBT defenders Johnson D’ Souza and Allwick Fernandes but his close ranger was blocked by goalkeeper Parvaraj and the ball rebounded back to Abdul, who however, headed over with an open goal.
After resumption, Goa Police took easy control as Abdul sent an intelligent long ball to Sudesh Kerkar, whose clever chip over the rival custodian went inches wide.
Then, in the 51st minute Abdul set up Minguel, who beat goalkeeper Parvaraj but Minguel could not convert from a narrow angle.
With ten minutes to go, YBT threatened the rival goal as substitute Terence Lobo’s venomous strike was parried away by Goa Police goalkeeper Reitesh Narvekar.
The teams tried every bit but could not score.
