I-League: Fatorda Stadium To Host I-League Games In Goa

Following an inspection of Fatorda Stadium conducted by the officials of the three Goan clubs, who are to play in Goa in the upcoming round of I-League, and Goa Football Association (GFA) officials on Tuesday, it was decided that the stadium was fit to host matches. There were doubts as to whether it was fit enough to host given that the central area was dug up and re-laid by the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG), who had backed the Goa Cricket Association's (GCA) whim that they stand an opportunity to host a cricket match and hence, began to work on the cricket pitch. However, after the match wasn't allotted to Goa by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the SAG began to repair the damage the done.

Sanjeev Negvenkar, manager of Salgaocar SC, Victor Fernandes and Anthony Fernandes, vice-president and assistant coach of Sporting Clube De Goa, and Mario Soares and Alfred Fernandes, the assistant and youth team coaches of Churchill Brothers were present during the inspection and were satisfied with the conditions.

It is also believed that the clubs had little choice in giving their green signal to Fatorda as the only other option they had was to play at the Tilak Maidan at Vasco as Duler Stadium at Mapusa was reportedly deemed unfit by the Indian FA. The dressing rooms are under renovation at the Fatorda Stadium, which means that the teams would now have to use the cricket dressing rooms, which are on the first floor.