FC Goa launches women's team

Indian Super League side FC Goa, on Saturday, launched its official women’s team, ahead of the second Vedanta Goa Women’s Football League.

The club, which was a part of the draft that took place at the Goa Football Association office in Panjim on July 25, is only the second ISL side, after FC Pune City, to field a women’s team.

The tournament, which is slated to begin on August 14, will feature eight teams. Grassroots coach, Naresh Virnodkar, has assumed the mantle of head coach with the team starting its training at the Chowgule Sports Centre in Margao.

“The women’s team will be built in the same image and with the same principles as the men’s team. The club will work extremely hard towards developing and producing talented women footballers and hope to emulate the successful women that represented the national team from Goa in the 1970’s,” FC Goa Technical Director, Derrick Pereira, said.

The club has been focused towards promoting the sport for both men and women along with their sister organisation, the Forca Goa Foundation.

Together they conducted an under-12 junior girls league last season in which 19 schools participated. The winner was felicitated by club co-owner, Virat Kohli, during halftime at one of FC Goa’s matches.