FC Goa’s younger goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh says his efficiency in the course of the AFC Champions League (ACL) Group Stage matches not too long ago would have silenced his critics, who had not given him a lot likelihood towards high Asian outfits. Thanks to his efficiency below the bar, FC Goa held top-rated Qatari outfit Al Rayyan and UAE’s Al Wahda to goalless attracts within the first two Group E matches of the ACL, earlier than shedding to Iran’s Persepolis 1-2. The solely recreation within the six outings the place FC Goa misplaced by greater than a two-goal margin was within the return match towards Persepolis FC the place they misplaced 0-4. In all different video games, FC Goa held their heads excessive, defending their objective stoutly.
The Goan outfit completed third within the four-team Group E with three attracts and three losses and couldn’t make it to the Round-of-16.
“Before the competitors, associates usually mentioned, ‘how many goals are you going to concede?’ This was the expectation from us. But we got here out as a really sturdy crew and it was not straightforward for any opponent to return and rating towards us as a result of everybody has given their 100 per cent,” said the 20-year-old Manipuri custodian, whose saves became the talking point of the tournament.
“The way we survived in the first and second games (goalless draws against Al Rayyan and Al Wahda), I think we surprised everyone,” mentioned Dheeraj, who made 26 saves in 5 video games. He didn’t begin in a single recreation due to damage.
“Overall, I feel we did a fantastic job within the AFC Champions League. It was the very first time that an Indian membership participated in (the group stage of) the AFC Champions League. I hope that is the primary of many instances that Indian groups can take part within the AFC Champions League. The normal could be very excessive and each match is a studying curve,” said Dheeraj, who joined FC Goa from ATK Mohun Bagan in January.
The goalkeeper said that playing every 2-3 days was difficult for every player “as we got a very short time to recover, both physically and mentally”.
“So, it (getting match) was an enormous problem for us to play after two or three days. I feel it was one of many largest challenges that each participant had.”
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