PANJIM: The India U-16 team has achieved a historic milestone by reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup U-17 Asia qualifiers for the first time in 16 years and that too ahead of Iran a regional power house.
Now they are on the cusp of another historic milestone, one game away from a first time ever qualification to a FIFA World event with another power house South Korea standing in their way.
Notably, the Indian team is helmed by three Goans, all three Sporting Clube greats, who were nurtured by and made their careers at the Club in the first decade of this millennium. Chief Coach Bibiano, the silky creative midfielder was with Sporting from 2002 till 2011 with one season spent with East Bengal in between. Goalkeeping Coach Felix D Souza guarded the Sporting goal from 1999 till 2011.
Both Bibiano and Felix were part of the all time best Sporting XI ever which won the ONGC Super Cup in 2005 after emerging I-League runners-up and also played back-to-back Federation Cup finals, losing narrowly at Fatorda to Mahindra United through a dying seconds through Barreto’s strike in 2005 and to Mohun Bagan in the penalty-shootout in Kolkata in the following year.
Assistant Coach Kanan Priolkar was with Sporting Clube as a right full back from 2000 till 2004 and played a part in Sporting Clube’s famous run in the Federation Cup of 2002 when they made it to the semi-finals with wins over fancied teams. The fourth member of the Goan quartet is player Shanon Viegas a product of the Club’s Youth Development Program who was further polished at the AIFF Academy. Shannon has figured in Sporting’s age group teams ranging from U-12 to U-16.
Sporting Clube congratulate Bibiano, Felix, Kannan and Shannon along with the rest of their team for their fantastic performance so far and wishes them the very best for their match against South Korea.
