Heading into this season’s Indian Super League, you wouldn’t have tipped FC Goa to be one of the favourites to lift the trophy. Yes they were always in the fray among the probables, but never outright favourites.
But over the course of their seventeen matches, they played some slick and fluid football and narrowly missed out on a famous final win against Chennai. Coach Zico couldn’t have asked for more from his men.
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As the tournament progressed, every single player responded to the task when called upon, irrespective of whether they were starters or not. That is exactly the kind of attitude a manager looks for if a team harbours title aspirations.
The likes of Lucca and Haokip may have not captured the headlines but they proved to be instrumental in Goa’s journey. However, one player who made every FC Goa player look a better version of themselves was Leo Moura. The Brazilian’s passing and distribution was top notch throughout the competition.
Moura is one of the few players to have plied his trade at all the four major clubs from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Goa’s number 10 travelled a lot in his initial years. In his early days, he played in the Belgian league for a year and shifted to Holland thereafter. Playing for ADO Den Haag, he played an entire season as a right wing-back and had a remarkable season.
Before arriving in India, the Brazilian was in the United States for a year. But his longest spell as a player was for Brazilian side Flamengo where he made 312 appearances in ten years. 2015 was his first year in the ISL and he showed exactly why Goa need him next year as well.
Much of Goa’s success this season was down to their fluid midfield. Lucca and Joffre complimented Moura well as the three of them kept the ball well and ensured that they did not lose possession cheaply.
As similar as their styles may look, these three players perform different functions and do it with a positive effect. Lucca plays more of a defensive-minded role but isn’t afraid to burst into the opposition half when given the opportunity.
Joffre on the other hand, positions himself in pockets of space in midfield and makes clever runs across the park.
Main man Leo Moura however does a bit of both. An extremely versatile midfielder, Moura had the ability to spray the ball with precision across 50 yards. He never backs out from a tackle and the 5 yellow cards he earned are testament to that.
His ability to run with the ball and yet keep the entire field in his mind separates him from the rest. The vision to spot a pass and the ability to execute it makes him a unique player and that is why he was so integral to the way FC Goa played.
The Brazilian scored 2 goals and provided 8 assists in his seventeen matches. However, these statistics don’t even begin to reveal the impact he had on the Gaurs.
The midfielder’s ability to find a pass is second to none. He played the role of the architect to perfection every time Goa went hunting for a goal, which was quite frequent as the team was very attacking.
Moura often manages to lose his marker and uses a clever change in direction to do so. It was refreshing to see a 37-year-old adapt to his team’s needs. He also helped his team out in times of need by playing as a right-back when Goa lost a couple of their defenders due to injuries.
As a viewer, one can’t really pick a highlight from Moura’s extensive montage of incredible passes, but his assist for Dudu against Mumbai City was one of his best moments. He received a long vertical ball first time inside the box and with a single touch laid it off to the striker, who only had to slot the ball past the keeper.
Until next season arrives, we will miss Leo Moura’s defense-splitting through balls and his tranquil approach to the game. While he hasn’t committed to playing another season in the ISL, fans of FC Goa will be hoping the midfield veteran will return to the west coast of the country and let us watch him play again.
