Five FC Goa players to watch out for in Goa Pro League 2020-21

These players have the ability to make it big in Indian football in the years to come.

The Goa Pro League has been a breeding ground for upcoming stars and scouts from the Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League keep a close look on the state league to hunt the talents. Today, we look at the five FC Goa Developmental Team players to watch out for in the upcoming Goa Pro League season.

5. Kapil Hoble

The speedy winger was signed in the summer of 2018 following brilliant back-to-back seasons at Dempo SC. Despite a slow start at the new club, he managed to keep his spot in the starting XI in both, the Goa Pro League as well as the Hero Second Division League. The following season saw him sidelined for an extended period due to injury as he couldn't feature much under then head coach Clifford Miranda. 

Despite so, Kapil Hoble is known for his marauding runs from the flank and can easily dribble past opponents with his tricky feet. He is good at delivering pin-point crosses and also has a few goals to his name. The 22-year-old played as a right-back and also as a forward for the Developmental Team on many occasions. Recently, he has been playing in the No. 10 position. Moreover, Hoble has completely recovered from his injury and is once again ready to make his mark in the league.

4. Nestor Dias

The defensive midfielder is another signing which FC Goa made in the summer of 2018 following his superb performance under coach Samir Naik at Dempo SC. The 22-year-old has been consistent with his performances and was notched the most number of appearances (18) among all.

Nestor is robust in his defensive duties and is very hard to dribble past. Covering around 12-13 kilometres in every match he has played for the Juniors Gaurs, the player has proved his immense stamina and endurance. Moreover, Nestor Dias has a good vision for passing as he produced some accurate long passes last season. On the other hand, he has also surprised opponent goalkeepers in the past with powerful and on-target shots from long range. In addition, he is good at set-pieces too and has made some pin-point assists on several occasions. 

Nestor has improved himself under coach Miranda ever since he signed for the Gaurs and is now eager to make into the senior side. Thus, the coming Goa Pro League campaign will be crucial for the midfielder to impress the high commands to earn promotion.

3. Dylan D'Silva

After Shubham Dhas was promoted to the senior side last season, the responsibility of guarding the post fell on the shoulders of Dylan D'Silva. The young custodian too impressed last season and his brilliant performance in the Durand Cup 2019 caught the eyes of many scouts.

The custodian was second in the list of FC Goa players with most appearances (17) in the GPL. Dylan has sharp vision which allows him to make pin-point goal-kicks towards his teammates. With last season's performance, he is no doubt one of the best keepers with immaculate ball distribution skills. 

Though the custodian commits minor errors at times, on a given day, he can be a complete package with quick reflexes and can produce next-to-impossible saves. If he works on his consistency, he can surely become one of the finest keepers from Goa.

2. Christy Davis

The 21-year-old has been fantastic ever since he arrived at the club last season from FC Kerala. The centre-midfielder has a long vision and can deliver accurate long-balls. Last season, he made 21 appearances for the club in GPL and Hero Second Division League.

Speaking of his defensive qualities, Davis has a great ability to make clean tackles and thus, helps the defence when in need. Moreover, he can also play as a centre attacking midfielder. He did so on a few occasions last season and also found the net on two occasions.

1. Lalhmangaihsanga

The Mizoram-born defender joined the team in the 2018-19 season and since then, he is one of the most consistent members in the FC Goa squad. Lalhmangaihsanga made 13 appearances in the Hero Second Division League, while made another 14 in the GPL last season.

Lean in size, the player comes with a clean tackling ability and is very comfortable playing from the back. He has the vision to spot long passes and last season, he played a crucial role in few matches making accurate long passes to wingers, behind the opposition's defence. In addition, the defender recorded an average of 5-6 successful interceptions per 90 minutes in the previous season, which proves his solidity at the back and ability to read the game.

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