Team Herald
Panjim: It was Deja vu for FC Goa fans with a phenomenal turn out of cars and two wheelers making a dash to witness the clash of the titans at the Fatorda stadium on Sunday.
The FC Goa fans dressed in the team jerseys, painted faces and flags waited patiently to see Zico’s team leave the hotel.
As the players began boarding the bus outside Hotel Marriot fans rushed to wish them luck. The young and old came to cheer the FC Goa team and clicked pictures.
At Panjim circle cars painted with the FC Goa colours waited patiently for the FC Goa bus to roll along. The crazy fans blew their horns and waved the flags no sooner the bus approached the Panjim round about.
The journey thereafter was that of fun and jubilation. The FC Goa team bus was escorted by the Goa Police but behind the bus fans riding on two wheelers took charge of the street.
There was a long trail of cars and two-wheeler following the FC Goa bus. The crazy fans honked and waved flag as they raced to the stadium.
“I came to wish the team with a poster as I could not a ticket for the final,” said a Dempo college student.
Some children playing in the field ran along shouting Zico while the players waved back to them.
The thrill of just getting a glimpse of the players through the tinted window of the bus sent girls screeming in joy.
At Aggasaim a group of FC Goa fans along the road danced to loud music waving the flags and lit crackers as the bus attempted to squeeze past the traffic.
The foreign tourist too looked amused to see such strong fan following for football in Goa.
In Margao celebrations had begun much earlier with the bar and restaurants doing brisk business. The fans were simply delighted to witness the finals being played on home soil and were confident that the Gaurs would win.
All around the stadium blue jersey’s ruled the street. Some fans modified their bikes with “The Gaurs” mask prominently placed on the bike. The fans looked confident and so were the FC Goa players on the ground.
The death blow for FC Goa came in the dying minutes of the game with Chennaiyin FC silencing the fans with the winning goal. They looked dismayed at the turn of events.
The shell shocked FC Goa fans looked in disbelief and the loud cheering dropped to stoic silence. Fans began leaving as soon as the final whistle was blown.
“Chennaiyin FC player Stevan Mendoza played well but FC Goa after 2-2 draw should have strengthened their defence,” said a dejected Alex Fernandes, coach of Curtorim Gymkhana.
Evangelisto Rebello, Secretary of Maina SC said; “FC Goa in the second half was a not upto the mark. Chennaiyin FC team played more as a unit.”
Some fans took the loss in their stride but others drowned their sorrow with a drink.
“FC Goa has really fought well but the day was of Chennaiyn FC,” said Leonard D’Souza, a strong FC Goa fan.
“FC Goa played a good game but lost due to less concenetration in the final minutes of the second half,” said Menino Rodrigues, of Raia.
