Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Car Nicobar scored a narrow but well deserving 2-1 victory over FC Goa in the inaugural match of the U-16 Friendship Cup, invitational football tournament, organised by Goa Football Association, at Duler Stadium, here on Saturday.
FC Goa were leading 1- 0 at half time. The visiting Car Nicobar team, playing outside their island for the very first time, displayed good talent and skills to match their superior rivals, FC Goa.
FC Goa took the lead in the 17th minute through Asfim Pinto. Car Nicobar fought back in the second half and managed to draw level in the tenth minute through the right winger Crystal. Ten minutes before the final whistle, centre forward John Austin clinched the match in favour of Car Nicobar with a deft placement.
FC Goa tried their level best to equalise but the islanders put up a solid defensive display to record the team’s first ever victory outside the island.
The Car Nicobar team comprises 16 players and two officials from all the different villages of the island. The team was selected by the Nicobar Athletic Association, since there is no football association in Car Nicobar. They underwent an intensive ten day coaching camp with the coaches Thomas James and Chirusta Ravindra. The team, making its first ever tour outside the island, was helped by the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Car Nicobar, with all of the villages and their headmen also giving their full support.
The move to get the team from Car Nicobar was initiated solely due to the football connection between Goa and Car Nicobar, as a tribute to famous footballers like the late JB Daniel, the late Herbert San and the late Thomas Khushboo, who all hailed from the tiny island of Nicobar. These football stalwarts donned colours for Dempo Sports Club in their official leagues and other championships.
Some of them were also members of the Goa Sate Football team, with late Herbert Sen and late Thomas Khusboo being part of the winning Goan Santosh Trophy teams in 1984, and in 1990 respectively. Herbert was also a member of the Dempo team which won the Pomis Cup in Maldives.
The Car Nic XI team will play their next league matches against Dempo SC on May 29, against Sesa football academy on May 31, and against Sporting Club de Goa on June 1. The final will be played on June 4.
