ISL 2023-24 season review: FC Goa

The Gaurs started the season well but lost momentum towards the end.

There were huge expectations from FC Goa in the 2023-24 season of the Indian Super League because of Manolo Marquez’s arrival as head coach. The tactician stepped into a tough role after guiding Hyderabad FC from minnows to ISL Trophy champions in the 2021-22 season. His great reputation and a successful recent record in the league coupled with FC Goa’s infrastructure made for a fabulous combination.

FC Goa made a huge statement by snapping Manolo Marquez who was chased by multiple big names in the Indian Super League. Therefore, it was expected that the Gaurs would be among the title contenders, and such was the case in the end. While the outfit reached the playoffs, it could not muster up the strength to finish with a trophy in an otherwise positive season. 

Here is a look at FC Goa’s 2023-24 season as it looks forward to build on the successes of the campaign:

Fact Sheet

Top Performers

Noah Sadaoui

Noah Sadaoui was the club’s top scorer in the 2023-24 ISL season. The attacker scored in the double digits for the first time in his ISL career after scoring nine in his debut campaign. He also scored a memorable hat-trick against Hyderabad FC and mesmerized the crowd with his outstanding performances in the attacking departments.

Brandon Fernandes

Brandon Fernandes started the season well but he burst into life in the business end of it. The FC Goa skipper led by example and scored two of his three goals in the season during the playoffs. He made four assists on top of the goals and influenced the Gaurs’ attacking gameplay with his intricate passing abilities.

Jay Gupta

The 2023-24 season saw Jay Gupta breaking through in the ISL in style. The full-back built a reputation for scoring from long range and dominating forwards with his physicality. He made five goal contributions (two goals, three assists) during the season and earned a national team call-up, thanks to his performances.

Underperformer

Udanta Singh

Udanta Singh played in all 25 matches for FC Goa but was mostly used as a substitute. Apart from a handful of impressive cameos, the fall of the Flash was visible. He only returned one goal and two assists across the whole season, which are underwhelming numbers for an attacker of his stature.

Top Performances

Mohun Bagan 1 – 4 FC Goa

FC Goa 4 – 0 Hyderabad FC

FC Goa 3 – 2 Odisha FC

Manager’s Report Card

Manolo Marquez once again delivered the goods in the Indian Super League by guiding FC Goa to the playoffs. It was the third season in succession when the tactician guided a club to the playoffs. It was unlucky that his team faltered in the semi-final due to a lack of concentration in the first leg against eventual trophy winners Mumbai City FC.

His recruitment, tactics and style of play resulted in a lot of goals. The Gaurs were one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the 2023-24 Indian Super League campaign and there is a lot of promise going into the next season. 

Lessons to be learned

FC Goa’s 2023-24 season was largely a positive one. The outfit could have easily made the finals of the playoffs if the players had not lost their concentration for the last few minutes in the first leg of the semis. Building a stronger mentality and recruiting more players with leadership qualities is a step that the Gaurs should take heading into the next season.

Manolo Marquez could have done slightly better in avoiding three defeats in a row in February 2024 which derailed their challenge for the ISL League Winner’s Shield. These two lapses in concentration were the biggest drawbacks in a positive season that FC Goa must iron out.

Fan View

It was a joyous feeling to see Manolo Marquez becoming FC Goa’s head coach. The fans wanted an experienced and proven figure at the helm and his time at Hyderabad FC was proof of his capabilities.

The season began well but the string of bad results early in 2024 were hard to digest. While we did make it into the playoffs, the manner of the elimination at the hands of Mumbai City FC was a huge disappointment. 

Going into next season, the expectations are obviously high. We need to build on the success of the 2023-24 season and go for a trophy next term.

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