Sporting clube de Goa 

 

HISTORY & PERFORMANCE:

 

Sporting Clube de Goa was founded in the year 1999 when a group of football enthusiasts led by two young entrepreneurs Mr. Peter Vaz and Mr. Edgar Afonso took over a Goa first Division team which was being disbanded by its management, Hotel Cidade de Goa and re-christened it to “Sporting Clube de Goa”.

 

Since then there has been no looking back for Sporting, as the club is popularly known. Guided by a dynamic and visionary management the club has had a meteoric rise from the Goa first division to find its destined place amongst the elite of Indian Football in a short span of less than 4 years.

 

SPORTING CLUBE DE GOA IN GOAN FOOTBALL

 

In the first year of its inception the club made its mark on the highly competitive Goan football scene by winning the Goa Football Association 1^st Division title with a record of 37 points with 12 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss and a goal difference of + 25 from 14 matches and earning a promotion to the elite Goa Professional League.

 

In the Goa Professional League pitted against some of the best teams in the country, Sporting successfully fought for its survival in the first two seasons before coming into its own and bagging the 3^rd place consequently for the next two seasons i.e. 2002-2003 and 2003-2004. In the season 2004-05 Sporting improved its performance a notch by securing the runner-up spot in the Goa Pro League. Sporting also emerged runners-up at the Goa Governor’s Cup 2003-2004. In 2005-06 Sporting maintained the runners-up spot in Goa Pro League and the following season 2006-07 emerged the champions of Goa League. Sporting has also got a strangle hold on the Goa Governor’s Cup by winning it for three years running in 2006, 2007 & 2008.

 

SPORTING CLUBE DE GOA AT NATIONAL LEVEL

 

a) FEDERATION CUP:

 

Sporting heralded its arrival on the National Football scene by a scintillating performance in the Federation Cup 2001-02 at Chennai by breaking into the last four after wins over more fancied teams like Indian Bank, Tollygunge and East Bengal before bowing out to Dempo Sport’s Club in the semi finals.  After loosing out narrowly 1-0 to eventual winners Mahindra United at Calcutta in 2002-03, Sporting repeated its Chennai performance at Federation Cup 2004 held at Bangalore with wins over Mohamedan Sporting and Kingfisher East Bengal before going down to Mohan Began in extra time in the penultimate round. In the Federation Cup 2005 Sporting steamrolled into the finals before going down to Mahindra United. In 2006-2007 Sporting again reached the finals but lost in penalty shoot-out to Mohun Bagan after being tied 1-1.

 

b) NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE:

 

After an unsuccessful attempt at qualification for the NFL in 2000-01 when it failed to make it to the final phase of 2^nd Division NFL, loosing out on goal difference, Sporting ran a blistering Campaign in 2002-03 overcoming all comers to emerge champions in the 2^nd Division NFL to qualify for the National Football League.

 

Sporting’s first season in the 8^th NFL in 2003-04 was marked by flashes of brilliant play, but an inconsistent defence which resulted in too many goals gifted and points lost let them down. However Sporting survived the first year in the NFL with a creditable 8^th place finish.

 

In the 9^th NFL Sporting surpassed all expectations by coming within a whisker of winning the title.  However Sporting secured the 2^nd position and went on to win the ONGC Super Cup beating the NFL Champions 3-0. The 10^th NFL Sporting finished 4^th followed by a 6^th place finish in the 11^th NFL (2006-07). In the 1^st I League (2007-08) Sporting for the first time bereft of their star player Dudu Omagbemi who left to play in Europe staged a tremendous come back to stave off relegation and finish 7^th though on equal points with East Bengal on 6^th place.

 

c) OTHER ALL INDIA TOURNAMENTS:

 

Runner-up at the All India Guru Govind Singh Football Tournament at Jalandhar in 2000.

Winners at All India Dr.B.R. Ambedkar Football Tournament organized by ONGC at Surat in 2001.

Winners at All India Sahu Maharaj Trophy Football Tournament at Kolhapur, Maharashtra in 2002.

Winners at All India Nagardaksh Cup Football Tournament at Gadinglag in Maharashtra in 2003.

Runners-up Durand Cup 2005.