FC Goa team-mates all praise for Anwar Ali

Ali,
Sunil
Chhetri,
Manvir
Singh
and
Ishan
Pandita
were
the
goalscorers
for
the
Blue
Tigers,
who
thrashed
Hong
Kong
4-0
in
Kolkata
in
their
final
game
of
Group
D.

This
was
after
they
had
already
made
the
AFC
Asian
Cup
2023
cut
and
it
was
all
the
more
special
for
Anwar.

Seriton
Fernandes,
who
recently
signed
his
contract
extension
with
FC
Goa,
has
watched
him
at
close
distance
having
spent
the
last
season
with
him
and
had
some
words
of
praise
for
Anwar.

Seriton
Fernandes
extends
FC
Goa
contract
for
three
more
years

“Anwar
(Ali)
joined
us
in
training
last
year,
and
he
has
been
impressive
from
the
moment
he
stepped
on
to
the
practice
pitch,”
Seriton
Fernandes,
his
team-mate
at
FC
Goa
told

fcgoa.in.

“We
all
knew
about
his
struggles
before
joining
the
club,
and
how
he
fought
hard
off
the
pitch
to
return
to
playing
the
game
that
he
loves
the
most.
We
were
all
elated
when
we
got
to
know
that
he
got
his
call-up
to
the
India
team.
I
believe
this
is
just
the
beginning
for
him.”

ISL
Transfer
Watch:
Edu
Bedia
to
stay
with
FC
Goa
for
one
more
season

Spanish
midfielder
Edu
Bedia,
who
too
extended
his
stay
with
the
Amche
Gaurs,
also
weighed
in
on
Anwar’s
moment
of
glory.

“He
deserves
the
goal
and
all
the
praise
that
he
is
getting
right
now.
I
knew
in
the
very
first
few
games
that
I
played
with
him
that
he
is
a
different
player.
I
have
played
five
seasons
so
far
in
India
and
never
have
I
seen
someone
else
like
him.
He
has
everything
that
one
needs
to
excel
at
the
top
levels
in
the
country,”
said
Edu
on
Anwar
Ali.

“I
am
extremely
happy
for
him
and
also
for
Brandon
(Fernandes)
and
Glan
(Martins),
who
qualified
for
the
Asian
Cup
with
the
Indian
team.
They
are
very
important
players
for
both
our
club
and
the
national
side,
and
I
hope
we
get
to
enjoy
more
success
together
at
Goa.”

While
India
had
already
booked
a
spot
in
the
AFC
Asian
Cup
2023
Group
Stages
by
virtue
of
Palestine’s
4-0
win
over
the
Philippines
in
the
third
round
of
the
qualifiers,
a
win
was
a
must
for
Igor
Stimac
and
co
to
end
the
qualification
campaign
on
a
positive
note.

It
was
important
that
the
Blue
Tigers
beat
Hong
Kong
and
ensure
fans
that
they
could
qualify
on
their
own
merit,
and
Ali’s
early
goal
set
the
tone
for
his
team
as
they
thrashed
the
visitors
in
front
of
a
goodly
crowd
at
the
Vivekananda
Yuba
Bharati
Krirangan.

ISL
Transfer
Watch:
Princeton
Rebello
to
stay
with
FC
Goa

Another
FC
Goa
star,
Princeton
Rebello
also
heaped
praise
on
his
compatriot.

“I’m
happy
to
see
Anwar
score
for
India,
that
too
in
a
very
important
game
at
the
AFC
Asian
Cup
2023
qualifiers.
And
even
beyond
the
strike,
his
composure
playing
in
his
first
international
matches
was
admirable”
he
said.

“He
played
a
crucial
role
in
India’s
qualification
and
I
can’t
wait
to
meet
him
and
congratulate
him
in
person.”