FC Goa youngster Dheeraj Singh registered his name in the best XI of AFC Champions League match day one, for his superb efforts in the goal against giants Al Rayyan on Wednesday. Remarkably, the 20-year-old served as a benchwarmer with ATK Mohun Bagan in the first 2020-21.
Dheeraj’s lack of opportunity resulted in his departure from the Kolkata club in the January transfer window. He signed for FC Goa on a three-year contract and has been the number one for his side since.
“I prepared myself in a different way. During ISL, I used to watch the videos of other teams. But for the last match, I just watched the set pieces and I didn’t go through the individual clips because I wanted to play my natural game. I wanted to prepare for every situation that could come,”
he told AIFF after the Al Rayyan game.
The Manipuri lad was always touted as a prodigy for India with some excellent performance in the FIFA U17 World Cup in 2017. He joined Indian Arrows and then Kerala Blasters but was seen as an understudy to the senior keepers at those clubs.
But FC Goa manager Juan Ferrando kept his faith in Dheeraj and is now reaping the youngsters’ hard work rewards. In nine appearances for the Gaurs, he made 16 saves with two clean sheets in the ISL.
The AIFF academy product continued performing consistently in the AFC Champions League as well. Laurent Blanc’s Al Rayyan are one of the biggest giants of the AFC Champions League, but Dheeraj was commendable against them throughout the game.
The young keeper anticipated well and stood his ground firmly in a few one-on-one situations. As the match rolled into the dying few minutes, Blanc was spotted pushing his players upward in search of a winner. But Goa, led by Dheeraj, were at their very best and held their nerves till the very last seconds.
However, there are some huge tests incoming for Juan Ferrando’s side with teams like Al Wahda and ACL runners-up Persepolis waiting their chance against the minnows.
