Panaji:  October 10, 2014 …. Minister for Forest and Environment, Smt. Alina Saldanha asserted that Goa has an area of 755 sq. kms. of land constituted as wild life protected in the form of national parks and sanctuaries which provides a safe heaven to wild life.

 Smt. Saldanha was speaking at the Valedictory function of Wild Life Awareness Campaign organized by the Department of Forest held in the city today.

 Smt. Saldanha asserted that the State of Goa occupies a significant place in the Western Ghat, which is renowned over the world as the mega bio-diversity hotspot.

 Speaking further, Smt. Saldanha said this bio-diversity which includes flora & fauna holds life on earth together.  Every plant on land and microscopic plant in the ocean provide the required oxygen that we breathe.  The situation would have been far worse if the plants and the ocean had not to absorb much of the carbon dioxide we leave in the atmosphere, she added.

 The objective of this awareness programmes is to create awareness and appreciate the importance of wild, flora and fauna she said and pointed that it is bounded duty of every citizen to allow continuity of life through responsible action.

 Shri R. K. Srivastava, Acting Chief Secretary & Principal Secretary(Forest) said concise and collective efforts are needed to safeguard the environment and wild life.   He impressed upon the likeminded people like the NGO’s and environmentalists to supplement the efforts of government to achieve this goal.

 He said such awareness programmes never see an end but should be an ongoing process compacted with sustain efforts so as to save the pristine areas of western ghat for posterity of the coming generation.

 Bio-Diversity in Goa – a concise filed Guide and Goa Forest Newsletter was also released on the occasion at the hands of Smt. Alina Saldanha, Minister for Forest & Environment.

 ‘Prani Mitra’ award consisting of certificate and Rs. 5000/- was also conferred upon Shri Edward Rodricks, Shri Xavier Peter D’Souza and Damodar Polaji for their efforts to rescue wild life & conservation.

 Awards to winners of various competitions like elocution, quiz, photography and drawing competitions held during the week long Wild Life Awareness Campaign were also handed over to its respective winners at the hands of the dignitaries.

 Shri D.F.N. Carvalho, DCF welcomed while Shri Sanjay Waradkar, DCF proposed the vote of thanks.

In a keenly fought out game, FC Goa got their game going on home ground with Robert Pires as captain. Both team had a number of chances to take the lead but the first half ended 0-0. FC Goa players strung a number of passes around the field to the delight of the fans that filled up the west stand.

In the second half FC Goa came out with the sole aim of winning this game and remaining undefeated. And the aim was fulfilled when FC Goa’s marquee player Robert Pires was brought down in the penalty box in the 58^th minute of play. The fans were delighted as Pires opened his account for FC Goa with a superb spot kick. Vasco SC played out their hearts and also got the fans cheering as the game came to a close.

Said Manager and Chief Coach Zico post the match, “We wanted to play at the same time as when the matches will be held to familiarize ourselves to the prevailing conditions on the field. Vasco Sports Club played well. We had a few opportunities but didn’t convert them. But the team is shaping up well with new additions like Ranti Martins and Narayan Das getting game time today.”

Added co owner Shrinivas Dempo, “FC Goa was very much in control of the game. The team looks fit and charged. We look set for the league”.

 Ahead of ISL, which will begin on October 12, the franchise teams have been playing friendly matches with various football clubs. In its first friendly match played some days ago FC Goa triumphed over Sesa Football Academy by a margin of 3 goals (Score 3-0) and scored a win against the India national U-19 team with a score of 4-0.

 Zico has begun putting the FC Goa lads through the motions at team training sessions and is gearing for the first season of the ISL.

FC Goa will play their first ISL match against Chennaiyans FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Margao on October 15, 2014.

FC Goa has partnered with online ticketing portal BookMyShow.com for ticket sales. Tickets to the opening match as well as other home matches are now live on
http://in.bookmyshow.com/go/?ref=islmainsite_fc_goa_2014&url=http://in.bookmyshow.com/sport/indian-super-league/fc-goa/

The Hero Indian Super League, India’s unrivalled football championship is scheduled to kick off on 12th October 2014. FC Goa will play its first match against Chennaiyans FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa on October 15, 2014.

Tickets are priced at Rs 100 (North and South Stand), Rs 200 (East Stand) and Rs 300 (West Stand). Tickets at corporate boxes will be available at Rs 2500. Season Passes for home matches are also available. For every six home matches you buy, you would get one free

In addition to Book My Show, tickets can also be bought from a number of venues across the state, including Cafe Coffee Day outlets, The Mobile Shop stores and select Videocon outlets. Ticketing booths are being set up at the PJN Stadium Fatorda, FC Goa’s home ground from where tickets will be available from 9^th October onwards.

Sports aficionados can buy tickets for FC Goa matches at Cafe Coffee Day outlets starting from 10^th October at outlets located at, Bambolim (Kenkre Centre, NH 17); Colva (inside Silver Sand Resort, Colva Beach Road); Margao (inside Vasant Arcade, Comba); Margao (inside HPCL Kundre Service Station, Padre Miranda Road); Panjim (Arthur Viegas Building, next to Hotel Law Capital); Porvorim (143, NH 17, Porvorim, Bardez); Calangute (Inside Sunshine Beach Resort, Baga and Inside Vanessa Theatre Shopping Complex); Candolim (Fort Aguada Road), Mapusa (Feira Alta, Bardez, Near Mapusa Court Circle) and Palolem (inside Hotel Rishi Exotica, Palolem Beach Road).

Tickets will also be available at The Mobile Store outlets located at Bardez (Shop no 19&20, below hotel Orionnova, Cidade complex, opp Dominos, Porvorim,Bardez – 403521); Vasco (Shop no. 9,  ground floor, “Hotel Gladstone”Opposite Civil Court, Vasco Da Gama Goa, Vasco – 403802) and Panjim (Shop no 2, Ground Floor, Navelkar Trade Center, M.G road, Panjim – 403001).

FC Goa has already triggered a whirlwind of interest when it signed on a genuine Brazilian legend and three-time World Cupper Arthur Antunes Coimbra fondly known as Zico as its marquee coach. Zico has begun putting the FC Goa lads through the motions at team training sessions and is gearing for the first season of the ISL.

Rhys Mascarenhas, 28, found his love for football by accident. His uncle engaged in football and usually asked ten year old Rhys to accompany him to the games, often having to bribe him with an ice cream or Coca Cola. Today, Rhys is an ardent follower of the sport and is a partner in his own sports talent management agency.

This month, the footie fan from Vasco has been visiting Tilak Maidan, Vasco, everyday to watch FC Goa train. Speaking about the football franchise, FC Goa, he says, “This team looks very promising. There are a lot of youngsters playing in it and they are very dedicated to their game. Moreover they have Zico coaching them!”

“FC Goa has a fabulous line up,” opines Richard Dias, Business Partner, Radioactive Entertainment and an ardent football lover, “I’m an Arsenal fan so it’s exciting to see Robert Pires and Andre Santos been signed up for the team. I saw the friendly matches that FC Goa recently played against Sesa FA and the India U-19; it was a good game. With the team putting up a good game, it will only get stronger.”

Yolanda Souza, artist and a former international football player says, “FC Goa is a great initiative, we have really good backing in the name of Zico and this will help us move one step forward. Zico is magic, but for magic to work, all the players should put their best foot forward; it is only time that will tell what happens.”

Sharing his thoughts on the Indian Super League, Rhys Mascarenhas comments, “ISL has evoked an interest in a lot of people. Due to the influence of ISL, a lot of non-football lovers are also nurturing an interest in football. FC Goa, for instance has the star power of Zico and Robert Pires; the kind of buzz this has created among the public is evident in the reception they are getting. ISL will increase the followers of football, improve the infrastructure of the sport in India and sponsors will also come in as a result.”

Noel Rodrigues, 65, has been a frequent visitor to Tilak Maidan, Vasco and in more than half a century, the sexagenarian has watched hundreds of matches on the local, national and international level. “I have been watching matches on this ground since my childhood. Football has evolved a lot since then not just in terms of the infrastructure but also the professionalism. But, I had never imagined in my wildest dreams that someone like Zico or Robert Pires would come to Goa and train our local boys to play at this level of competition”, exclaimed Noel.

Shy and soft spoken, Danny Furtado, 21, makes sure that he finishes his work every day at The HQ Hotel, Vasco as soon as possible so that he and his companions can watch their football hero Robert Pires train at the ground. The boys had designed and printed a colourful banner displaying Pires and FC Goa and turned up at the Dabolim Airport to welcome their hero. “There was a lot of crowd so we couldn’t reach him,” says a starry-eyed Danny, “But we have been visiting the grounds everyday simply to watch him play and will get the banner signed by him soon.” he adds opening up the 5X6 banner that he was carrying along to get autographed.

Commenting on the contribution of ISL to Indian football, fans feel that there will be a lot of improvement in the quality of football in Goa which will assist in elevating the standard of the game. “We have a lot of big names in the team, so one can expect FC Goa to perform exceedingly well,” opines Noel Rodrigues. “The players have been implementing the skills taught to them by Zico; this was evident in the friendly’ game that FC Goa played opposite Sesa FA and the India U-19 squad.”

Rhys also points how the humility of the Brazilian football legend is helping boost the confidence of the players. “Coaches usually monitor the training sessions and make the assistant coach do all the running around. Unlike them, Zico himself is training the players, ably assisted by Arthur Papas. He is constantly guiding them and instructing them how to go about it. He’s very relaxed on the field and does not put any pressure on the players either. Also, training under the wing of Zico, players can probably aid in incorporate the Brazilian style of play.”