Panaji, July 25: Sporting Clube de Goa have announced five new signings to the squad, revealed through a friendly 7v7 futsal match held at Don Bosco Football Ground on Friday evening, where new players and fans took to the pitch together for an evening of community football.
The event began with player registration and a team draw, with fans including Ethan De Souza, Jonathan Afonso, Nawaz Sheik, Ryan Fernandes and Drake Dias among those who signed up to take part. The registration was followed by group photographs and warm-ups for both sides, during which the club’s new home and away training jerseys were also unveiled. A coin toss and handshakes between the teams preceded kickoff.
Fourteen players took part across two teams, with the 40-minute fixture producing goals, saves and competitive exchanges throughout. The Forca Sporting team emerged victorious 8-7 against the Flaming Orange team with the trophy presented at the conclusion of the match.
Five of the participants were then revealed to be the club’s new signings, introduced to supporters for the first time through the match. The new additions to the Sporting Clube de Goa squad are Ashnoy Prince Gomes, Garrison Fernandes, Rutik Ramesh Bandodkar, Aliton Furtado and Delmon Rebello.
“Playing today without anyone knowing who we were was a different kind of pressure, but it was a great way to meet the fans up close before anything official,” said Rutik Bandodkar.
“It felt good to just play football today, no expectations, just enjoying the game with everyone out there,” said Delmon Rebello.
“Days like this mean a lot to us. Having our new players out there with the fans, playing alongside them, that’s the kind of community we want to build ,” said Jude Sales, Head of Operations, Sporting Clube de Goa.
“We were really happy with the turnout and the way the match played out today. This was about community engagement first, giving our fans a chance to be part of the football, not just watch it. Football in Goa thrives when the community feels involved,” said Malcolm Gonsalves, Manager, Sporting Clube de Goa.
Sporting Clube de Goa said fan engagement initiatives such as this will continue to form part of the club’s community outreach efforts ahead of the upcoming season.
