PANAJI
The final day has arrived when the curtains will be drawn on the Brian Mendes Memorial Veterans Championship with Chinchinim Veterans, the Salcete supremos battling it out with crowd pullers Vasco Veterans for honours on Monday, at Dr Gustavo Monteiro stadium, Candolim.
The finals will kick-off at 7 and the organisers, Viva North Veterans Football Club, have left no stone unturned to make the finals a truly memorial one, with floodlights erected all around the ground.
Vasco Veterans have performed consistently in all their departments “ defence, midfield and frontline -- firing in cohesion. They have in their ranks names like Vishant Pendekar and Remmie Colaco, who have always posed a threat to the rival defence. Besides they have Xavier Colaco who is also a national player.
Chinchinim Veterans -- who have big names of yester years like former Dempo Sports Club international Mahesh Lotlikar, former national players Mario Soares and Jerry Fernandes, who played for Salgaocar and Sesa Goa -- have combined well among themselves, constantly changing their positions. Mahesh over the tournament has anchored Chinchinim half-line well.
Chinchinim goalkeeping department has stood out through the tournament with both Donald Rebello and Francis Fernandes performing exceedingly well and have been responsible to see Chinchinim through in the penalty shootouts. So if the final has to be resorted to the penalty shootout, Vasco may well keep their fingers cross.
Brian Mendes' team-mates of Goa’s 1983 Junior National Champion squad Savio Madeira, Trevor Paiva, Francis Rodrigues (Shana), Augustinho D’Costa, Mervin Fernandes, Dominic Fernandes, Jose Maria Dias, Richard Nunes and coach Socorro Couthinho will grace the memorial finals with their presence and will be presented mementos by Bonifacio Mendes, Brian's brother who is based in the United Kingdom.
Brahmanand Shankhwalkar, the legendary goalkeeper-captain of India, will be the chief guest for the finals.Maria Rebello, India’s first professional women's referee and now FIFA assistant referee, Asia, will officiate the match.
Meanwhile prior to the finals, the Candolim under-14 boys will take on an Arpora under-14 squad in an exhibition match which will kick off at 6 pm at the venue. Goa’s Police band and Indian Super League fame percussionist Carlos Gonsalves will perform live, while Savio and Rock Lazarus will perform the Championship theme song.
The winners will bag a cash prize of Rs 30,000 while runners-up will take home a purse of Rs 20,000, besides the glittering trophies. The finals will conclude to a massive fireworks display.
PLAYING TODAY
Exhibition Boys Match: Candolim Under-14 vs Arpora Under-14, Dr Gustavo Monteiro stadium, Candolim, 6 pm.
Brian Mendes Memorial Veterans (finals): Chinchinim Veterans vs Vasco Veterans, Dr Gustavo Monteiro stadium, 7 pm.
