Overcoming rare heart issues, Anwar Ali makes it to FC Goa

The
21-year-old
former
India
youth
international
has
put
pen
to
paper
on
a
contract
with
the
Gaurs
after
the
All
India
Football
Federation
(AIFF)
cleared
the
talented
youngster
to
resume
his
career
in
August
earlier
this
year.

It
may
be
recalled
that
Ali
was
barred
from
playing
competitive
football
by
the
AIFF
in
2019
after
he
was
diagnosed
with
a
rare
heart
condition
called
Apical
Hypercardiomyopathy
(HCM).

“I
am
just
happy
that
the
worst
part
of
my
life
is
now
over.
This
is
a
new
chapter
in
my
life
and
I
want
to
welcome
the
opportunity
to
play
football.
It
has
been
a
long
wait
to
get
onto
the
field
at
the
highest
level,”
Ali
told

FC
Goa
Media
after
putting
pen
to
paper.

“I
would
like
to
thank
FC
Goa
at
this
moment
for
having
faith
in
me.
I
have
been
with
the
team
since
the
beginning
of
the
season
and
that
has
helped
me
understand
the
way
we
play
the
game.

“I
was
ecstatic
when
I
got
to
know
I
was
going
to
FC
Goa.
I
didn’t
know
about
it
till
around
three
days
before
I
had
to
pack
my
bags.
There
is
a
certain
excitement
in
the
air,
which
I
can’t
put
into
words.”

FC
Goa’s
Director
of
Football,
Ravi
Puskur
welcomed
Ali
on
board,
“We’re
very
happy
to
bring
Anwar
into
the
fold
at
FC
Goa.
He’s
clearly
one
of
the
finest
players
of
his
generation
and
that
has
all
the
more
apparent
ever
since
we’ve
had
a
closer
look
at
him
for
the
past
month
and
a
half,
while
he’s
been
training
with
us.

“His
time
out
of
the
game
is
well
documented
but
he’s
a
resilient
young
man
and
I’m
sure
he’ll
display
his
skill
and
talent
once
he
sets
foot
on
the
field
and
I’m
thankful
to
his
parent
club
that
they
have
trusted
us
to
continue
his
development.”

Ali
started
his
career
with
Minerva
Punjab
and
then
went
on
to
play
for
the
India
Under-17
team
in
the
2017
FIFA
U-17
World
Cup.
After
good
performances,
the
youngster
was
loaned
to
Indian
Arrows
for
the
2017-18
season
before
signing
with
Mumbai
City
FC.
Another
loan
to
the
Indian
Arrows
followed
the
following
season.

The
defender
played
his
first
game
after
a
break
of
over
a
year
for
Techtro
Swades
United
before
moving
on
to
Delhi
FC
via
Minerva
Academy.

The
youngster
starred
for
Delhi
FC
in
the
Durand
Cup
and
the
I
League
Qualifiers
in
2021,
scoring
four
goals
in
the
latter,
finishing
as
top
scorer
for
his
side.

ISL
FIXTURES
|

POINTS
TABLE

Sunday
night’s
(January
2)
game
against
Kerala
Blasters
could
possibly
see
Ali’s
long-awaited
ISL
debut.

The
Gaurs
are
currently
languishing
ninth
in
the
ISL
point
table
with
eight
points
from
as
many
games.

ISL
2021-22:
Kerala
Blasters
vs
FC
Goa:
Live
Telecast,
Live
Streaming,
Timing,
Prediction

And
whilst
recent
performances
have
been
encouraging,
the
team
is
still
looking
to
hit
the
right
gears
as
the
season
approaches
the
halfway
point.

Coach
Derrick
Pereira
was
candid
while
admitting
the
task
ahead
of
the
game
against
in-form
Blasters.

“Kerala
right
now
are
in
good
form.
The
results
may
not
have
been
indicative
of
the
same.
However,
we
have
been
improving
of
late
as
well.
We
have
made
good
strides
on
the
defensive
side
of
things.
So
we
will
rely
on
the
same
to
keep
Kerala
and
their
threat
on
goal
at
bay.”