MARGAO: A tight hug and words of appreciation is all that a player wants after the match. And FC Goa’s Keenan Almeida lived the moment for his all-important equalizer in a 1-1 draw against Atletico de Kolkata, on Wednesday.
FC Goa co-owners Shrinivas Dempo and Dattaraj Salgaocar were all smiles as they walked on to the pitch after the match and wished the 23-year-old Keenan.
The defender on loan from Salgaocar FC unleashed a scorching right-footer just from outside the box. He was set up by Reinaldo with eight minutes to go for the final whistle.
Arata Izumi had earlier put the visitors ahead in the 13th minute.
FC Goa scored through an unlikely source and Keenan was rightly adjudged as the Emerging Player.
“I am lost for words. It is a feeling one gets in a lifetime to secure a crucial point for the team. I thank the supporters and my family for this moment”, said Keenan after the match.
The youngster is hard working and his love for “The Beautiful Game” is unquestionable.
The Cuncolim lad impressed everyone with his skill and ability during the I-League where he stared for Sporting Clube de Goa and played an instrumental role in their fight for survival.
Keenan was roped in by FC Goa this season and marquee manager-cum-coach Zico handed the defender his debut in the 2-0 victory against Delhi Dynamos FC.
“Everyday is a learning process. We had a very good pre-season (in Dubai) and that played a vital role for me,” expressed Keenan, who is living his dream playing along side his idol Lucio.
“We are always going out for a win. The pace of the match changed after the substitutions which did the trick,” Keenan signed off.
