Basil Sylvester Pinto
PANAJI
The Football Dug Out (TFDO), arguably the most popular football group on a social networking site which binds Goans in the State and beyond, is currently caught up with the UEFA Euro 2016 fever reaching its zenith. As in other major tourneys, they have given true blue football fans, a larger-than-life opportunity to cheer for their favourite stars and teams, with High Definition public screenings.
Currently screening the knock-out stages across two venues in the State, in North at ESG Theatre, Panaji and BPS Sports Club AC Hall, Margao, the response may not be as heartening but welcoming nonetheless at the least. With the quarters having begun at 12.30 am IST on June 30, with Goa’s favourite team Portugal in action, fans were expected to turn up at these screenings in numbers, but perhaps the inclement weather and wee hour timings kept them away.
The Goan Everyday caught up on the live action of the first quarters played between Portugal and Poland in Marseille's Stade Velodrome, at the screening in Margao, to have a first-hand experience of the Euro 2016 atmosphere. Barely had the pro-Portugal fans settled in their seats, they heaved sighs of despair with an early strike by talismanic Poland striker and captain, Robert Lewandowski. As the first half wore on, the Portugal fans wore a desolate look as their favourite player Cristiano Ronaldo continued to look a pale shadow of himself. A little over the half hour mark, their joy knew no bounds as the equalizer came off the boots of Renato Sanches who seemed in fine touch. A group of fans attired in CR7 jerseys among others jumped out of their seats celebrating the goal.
But the Poles, never let up on the tempo and looked the part of a stiff challenger as the game went into lemon break with the score-line levelled at 1-1. Catching on the fans reactions at half-time, this writer met up with three youth donning Ronaldo jerseys. Riston Mendes from Velim said that a silly mistake by Portugal defender Cedric who was partly responsible for the unfancied Poles to get an early lead. But he also added that it was a brilliant cross by a Poland’s left winger Kamil Grosicki which was neatly anticipated by Lewandowski, who made no error to latch on to the open chance. Trailing by a goal, their comeback with the equalizer around half an hour was really good, he said. The passing between Dani and Sanches was excellent ensuing to which the latter, at an opportune moment, found the back of the nets. Though it was a 50-50 session, Portugal were a bit more attacking, he felt.
Jim Rodrigues of Navelim, agreeing with Mendes, said that it was a very good fight back for Portugal after the early setback. “It was tough for them (Portugal) to find the equalizer, but they did it," a relieved Rodrigues stated. Stanford Colaco (Raia) while acknowledging that Ronaldo was not playing at his best, was happy that Sanches was playing well.
Back to the game, and the second session, Portugal were creating more of the scoring opportunities but as has been their wont, ended with two left feet with the goal in good view. On the other side, the Poles looked sturdy in defence with good tackles and slides to ward off danger. They had a lesser sight at goal, and could not break the deadlock either.
As neither team could press home their side to victory in regulation time, Portugal found themselves to recent familiarity of playing extra time. But that did not help their cause, with the game meandering to a penalty shootout. The pro-Portugal fans had their edge-of-the-seat last few anxious moments with every strike. While they celebrated every Portugal conversion in the shootout, they pumped their fists when the Pole, Jakub Blaszczykowski failed to find the back of the nets in what turned out to be the decisive penalty in their fourth attempt. And with Portugal maintaining a clinical performance in the lottery showdown with the fifth strike off Ricardo Quaresma, they burst out into celebratory eruptions.
A visibly happy Portugal fan, Greg De Barros from Loutolim, stated that it was a stressful moment for the Portuguese fans when they conceded an early goal. But in time when they equalized, they heaved sighs of relief. With 1-1 as the scoreline at half-time, he opined that everyone watching the screening was pretty much sure that it would enter into penalties to break the stalemate with Portugal prevailing.
Manfred Rodrigues, a Churchill Brothers defender, and the odd neutral football fan at the game, said that though Portugal may have won, with five draws in a row (at regulation time), they could deem themselves lucky to scrape through this game as well. But one can admit, a Portugal fan or otherwise, this side does not look the part to go all the way, but if the fortune cookie continues to favour them to the end, the tournament has been unkind to the true connoisseurs of the game.
