GFA Pro League matches clash with ISL

Four Goa Football Association (GFA) Goa Professional League matches clash with FC Goa’s Indian Super league (ISL) home matches. If FC Goa reaches the semi-finals, the home semi-final will also clash along with the final scheduled for December 20.

The Indian Super league (ISL) schedule was declared on May 29 and Goa Football Association   declared the Goa Professional League draw on July 11. The GFA had more than a month to make sure the two schedules did not clash. However, the fans have been ignored.

FC Goa starts their ISL campaign on October 4 with a game against Delhi Dynamos. Brazilian Lucio will be on one side and Roberto Carlos on the other- two great Brazilian defenders with a class of their own. Yet on that day, Dempo Sports Club is scheduled to play Calangute Association at Duler grounds, Mapusa at 4pm.

October 7 will see FC Goa cross swords with ISL champions Atletico de Kolkata. GFA has scheduled a sort of a derby match of the Goa Professional League between Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa on the same day. The ISL has two arch states-Goa and Kolkata fighting for supremacy.

Goa FC face Kerala Blasters on October 22, the same day Goa’s derby between Salgaocar FC and Dempo Sports Club takes place at Duler.  Sporting Clube de Goa who has already lost 0-3 to Churchill Brother Sports club in their away match face them again on November 25- the day FC Goa play their last home match against North East United FC.

If FC Goa reaches the semi-finals, the match will against clash with a GFA Pro League match as the entire dates clash with ISL semi-finals dates. Guardian Angel SC play Curtorim Gymkhana in Raia on the day the ISL final is scheduled in Goa on December 20.

The GFA Pro League schedule is done by the Competition Committee headed by Vice President (South) Schubert Furtado.

Incidentally, at the GFA Annual General Meeting (AGM ) had recently ,  a handful of members had thought of writing to FC Goa asking for a financial contribution as it is starved for cash. “ The idea was moved by a member to ask FC Goa asking for a part or one match gate collection contribution or for a donation for the teams registration as has been done by  Kerala blasters,” stated  GFA  Vice President (North) Lavinio Pereira.

  “How can something like that be done? Shrinivas has done a lot for football when he was president and is still spending a lot for the game. The ISL is still not paying back the investors. If Shrinivas thinks GFA needs the money he will himself give. We do not need to ask him,” added Lavinio.

With the clash in schedules it is going to be the fan that will lose. In the long term , football too.