MARGAO
“Kolkata is the Mecca of Indian football. The fans there are great. So many clubs have dedicated fans here, and the great thing is that they all came together to cheer for Goa Veterans and Bengal Veterans in Kolkata," said veteran Goan footballers who recently played exhibition matches in the City of Joy.
Goa Veterans won the first match against Bengal Veterans 4-2 and played out a 3-3 draw in the second match. Bruno Coutinho scored a goal each in both the matches.
Padma Shri and former India captain Brahmanand Sankhwalkar recalled the match experience. "It was an amazing feeling in Kolkata. So many fans had come to the ground, it was great. The atmosphere was electrifying, similar to that we experienced during our prime days," Sankhwalkar said. "The facilities arranged by former India and East Bengal midfielder Alvito D'Cunha were excellent. He took care accommodation and made sure we had all the amenities," Sankhwalkar said.
Coutinho, considered one of the brightest gems of Indian football because of his great shooting skills, recalled his playing days with Salgaocar SC when he played in the Federation Cup at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
"There was a lot of noise from the stands. These matches reminded me of the same atmosphere when we played in Kolkata in pressure cooker-like match situations with the fans coming in large numbers," Coutinho said. "It was great. The fans acknowledge our service to football during our playing days. Some lined up to shake hands with us."
Climax Lawrence, former India midfielder, lauded the efforts of D'Cunha in arranging the tour. "It was an amazing experience as fans thronged the stadium to witness the former players in action. We played well against them and everybody enjoyed," Climax said.
