I-LEAGUE
With the ongoing exams currently taken place in Goa, the Sporting Clube de Goa Academy players can be forgiven for taking a break from their revision to tune into the match. It is in this fixture that many young Goan players have raised their game and profile over the years, playing in the second largest stadium in the world, against seasoned opponents.
Sporting Clube de Goa will lock horns with Kingfisher East Bengal in round 23 of the Aiff’s I-League, at Salt Lake stadium, Kolkata on Sunday. The kick off is 5pm and is being televised live on Ten action.
Despite not being able to grind out a victory in their last five I-League encounters, Sporting Goa are still mathematically in the best chance to win the title, thanks to their super start to the campaign.
They currently have two games in hand over leaders Bengaluru FC (38 points) and face the current table toppers on the last day of the season, which increases the stakes of this game against East Bengal.
The last time the two teams met was in the recent Federation Cup, where Oscar Bruzon’s Sporting Goa edged past Armando Colaco’s East Bengal 2-1, courtesy of goals from the tournament’s joint top goal scorer Victorino Fernandes and also Beeven D’Mello.
In that Fed Cup, It was East Bengal’s victory against Bengaluru in the last group match, despite having nothing to play for, which saw Sporting Goa progress to the next round. This has only strengthened the mutual admiration between the two Coaches.
Sporting Goa will look to striker Boima Jerry Karpeh who has netted twenty three goals this season in all competitions and Rowllin Borges who scored a wonder goal last week against Mohun Bagan, to pull the strings in midfield.
East Bengal will rely on the two former Flaming Oranje front men James Moga and Edeh Chidi to lead their attack.
Sporting Goa is currently in fifth place with 29 points from nineteen matches, while East Bengal is seventh with 28 points from eighteen games.
The last three I-League encounters between the two sides have all been drawn and this looks to be another close and enthralling affair.
PHOTO: SCG Academy players and fans cheering on Sporting Clube de Goa at the recent match against Mohun Bagan.
Sporting Clube de Goa 