MARGAO
Goa's Pearl Fernandes is learning to adjust to the national needs as per the management plans. The Young Tigresses fell short in a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out to lose to Bangladesh in the SAFF U-16 Women's Championship 2024 on March 10.
Having taken an early lead, India controlled a majority of the game but conceded late on to take the game into a shoot-out, where they came up short.
"Even during training exercises. You enjoy the game, but you also want to win. And to win, that fighting instinct needs to come from within. That’s the most important thing,” asserted Pearl Fernandes. "If you don’t fight in these matches, how will you put up a fight in the bigger ones?," she added.
While she maintains a feisty fighting spirit on the pitch, off it Pearl Fernandes presents a calm exterior when dealing with her teammates.
“Off course neither teams scored a winning goal during regulation time, as all the 20 players were just running after the ball,” laughed Pearl Fernandes. “However, I did take one of the penalties during the shoot-out but we ended up losing to Bangladesh," she added.
Pearl Fernandes expressed her thoughts on the runners, saying she gained much-needed exposure in the tournament and will now focus on improving their game.
“We as a team played really well throughout the tournament. We gave our hundred per cent in every game and I am really proud of the team," said the Junior international women forward.
Pearl Fernandes who hails from Arambol in North Goa has been for the last two seasons with Compassion FC is not only a star performer for the NGO based Girl’s team from Goa but someone who has made name for herself in the national arena of women football not only in the junior ranks but also in the senior women category and is now finally with the national team.
