FC Goa fans, take a deep breath. The Gaurs might have missed out on the League Shield, but what a season it’s been! They finished second with 48 points which would have been good enough to win the Shield last season, but not in a campaign where Mohun Bagan Super Giant decided to flex their muscles at the top.

Still, let’s not get lost in the ‘what ifs.’ FC Goa’s journey to the semi-finals has been a rollercoaster ride, from a shaky start to a 12-game unbeaten streak that had them breathing down MBSG’s neck. They ended up with the second-highest goals scored, the second-fewest conceded, and most importantly, a direct ticket to the semi-finals. They’re now just two games away from breaking their six-year wait for a spot in the ISL final.

Let’s rewind and break down how they pulled this off.

A nightmare start

FC Goa’s season couldn’t have started much worse. They suffered a shock home defeat to Jamshedpur FC in the opener. Then, they went on to win just one of their next five games. To make matters worse, they kept dropping points from winning positions. No matter how well they played, they just couldn’t close out games.

The defense was all over the place. They conceded 12 goals in their first six matches, leaking goals like a tap that wouldn’t shut. At this point, a top-two finish looked like a distant dream.

Jhingan’s return and momentum shift

It’s no exaggeration to say that Sandesh Jhingan’s return in November changed everything. With the experienced center-back marshalling the defense, FC Goa suddenly looked like a completely different team. They stopped making silly mistakes at the back, started controlling games better, and turned into a team that knew how to grind out wins.

The results spoke for themselves. They went 12 games unbeaten from November to January, winning eight of them. The same team that conceded 12 goals in their first six games? They let in just eight in this entire unbeaten run.

Head coach Manolo Marquez also deserves a ton of credit. He made tactical tweaks, used impact substitutes smartly, and got his team playing with confidence again. All of a sudden, FC Goa weren’t just in the top-six conversation, they were going toe-to-toe with Mohun Bagan SG for the League Shield.

A late push that almost stole the Shield

Just when it looked like FC Goa might pull off something special given their fabulous unbeaten run, Jamshedpur FC came back to haunt them. A 0-3 away defeat to Khalid Jamil’s side in February was a gut punch. It seriously hurt their Shield chances, especially since Mohun Bagan SG just refused to drop points.

To their credit, the Gaurs didn’t sulk. They responded with five straight wins, staying alive in the Shield race. But the Mariners were just too far ahead. FC Goa could only watch as the Shield slipped from their grasp in Matchweek 23 when MBSG beat Odisha FC.

Their final league game against MBSG summed up their season: full of fight but let down by their own mistakes. A different start to the season and who knows? The Shield might have been theirs.

Right in the mix for the ISL Cup

A top-two finish means FC Goa skip the playoffs and head straight to the semi-finals. That’s huge, it gives them extra rest and preparation time while other teams battle it out.

The last time FC Goa played an ISL final was six years ago. That’s a long wait for a club with their ambition. They’ve built momentum, gained confidence, and now, they’re two games away from making history. Marquez’s side may have missed out on the Shield, but the ultimate prize of winning their first ISL Cup is still within reach.

Their season’s story is still unfinished. And if their comeback so far is any indication, the best may be yet to come.

Related tags:

FC Goa2024-2025