With 26 saves and two clear sheets, Dheeraj shines in Asian Champions League

The first ever marketing campaign for an Indian crew within the Asian Champions League ended within the group stage itself. In their six video games, FC Goa turned heads with two scoreless attracts.
But then the tiring schedule, accidents and a piling yellow card checklist took its toll. And but, one Indian participant was the most effective throughout Asia in his place and a shiny spot within the inaugural marketing campaign. Five video games, 26 saves (essentially the most within the ACL and eight greater than the following highest), two clear sheets and solely 4 objectives conceded – Dheeraj Singh had a match to recollect. The Manipuri goalkeeper was the star by consensus of this crew on the continent’s massive stage.
A notable occasion of Singh saving Goa got here of their second group sport.
In the dying minutes of the match with the rating at 0-0, Al Wahad winger Khalil Ibrahim launched a superbly weighted ball into the field from the precise to his teammate Omar Khribin, a yard away from the closest FC Goa participant. Khribin directed his header in the direction of the Gaurs objective the place in some way Singh made himself massive and pulled out a match-saving save.
Singh pumped his fists on the floor and screamed, however the match wasn’t over but. Al Wahad rapidly took a nook and it was Dheeraj once more, leaping previous a slew of our bodies and punching any hopes of the UAE membership getting greater than some extent. The 20-year-old confirmed braveness, and the person who first picked him as an 11-year-old was reminded of the spark he noticed in Dheeraj then.

25 saves in simply 5 video games! Dheeraj Singh stood like a wall for FC Goa in ACL 2021.#FCGoa #DheerajSingh #IFTWC pic.twitter.com/PX8T8Ywi5k
— Indian Football Team for World Cup (@IFTWC) April 30, 2021
“He had heart,” remembers Surendro Singh, a coach on the All Moirang Football Association academy. “We selected him in our academy in 2012. Within a year, he was already playing for the state team,” Dheeraj’s first coach informed The Indian Express.
From there, it was a reasonably speedy rise for Dheeraj. The AIFF academy in Kalyani got here calling, after which the FIFA U-17 World Cup occurred. During the match held in India, Singh’s inventory rose significantly as he was recognised as one of many stand-out performers regardless of a brief group-stage stint.
A trial at Scottish Premiership membership Motherwell adopted, however not a lot got here of it. Now at FC Goa, two clear sheets in his first two video games on the AFC Champions League haven’t simply obtained consideration from his personal coaches, but in addition Asian elites.
A good crop
Dheeraj is one other high quality goalkeeper the Indian soccer system has churned out in recent times.
With the nationwide crew going through a severe scarcity in the case of strikers and central defenders, a take a look at the goalkeeping state of affairs is a welcome change.
Shanmugam Venkatesh, assistant coach of the nationwide crew, spoke in regards to the rising position of a goalkeeper in trendy soccer and the way Dheeraj is a greater custodian due to the eye offered from a youthful age, one thing that didn’t occur earlier.
“Over the years, the role of technique and fitness has become extremely important for goalkeepers and the ’keeper is now required to be as fit as the outfield players. Now, things like fat percentage and training intensity are major factors for goalkeepers and technique-wise, ’keepers today are more sound and more comfortable with the ball at their feet,” Venkatesh informed The Indian Express.
READ | School topper Dheeraj Singh relied on grandmother to purchase him soccer kits
“With Indian football and clubs across India getting more and more professional, there are now specific coaches for goalkeepers. It is very important for them as goalkeeper training is different, with specific drills and requirements, and a player like Dheeraj getting such quality training right from the start is a very important factor in his development.”
Despite the higher high quality of goalkeepers on the disposal of the nationwide crew now, the Asian Champions League has proven the trail to the following stage that these children must take.
In the Indian Super League, custodians are usually not anticipated to be fast on their toes.
A degree commonly emphasised by FC Goa coach Juan Ferrando in Champions League press conferences was the Indian type of play, which is to take two, perhaps three, touches on the ball earlier than transferring ahead. The prime groups in Asia not often enable a lot time on the ball, and that must be understood by all gamers, together with the goalkeeper.
As the remainder of the world cheered the saves made by FC Goa’s hero, Ferrando was fast to convey Singh right down to earth, by declaring the place he wants extra work. “Dheeraj made good saves.
He wants to enhance passing as a result of we play a mode the place we construct up from the again,” the coach mentioned, laying the blueprint for what’s subsequent for a younger goalie starting to point out his mettle within the massive league.