FC Goa’s campaign this season in the Indian Super League came to an end on Saturday night, as they bowed out in the semi-finals to Chennaiyin FC by an aggregate score of 6-5.

The end though didn’t come without a final hurrah. It was a night fraught with drama where two early goals set the Gaurs on course for a famous comeback. Those dreams, however, suffered a body blow early in the second half as two goals from the visitors asked the Gaurs to score 4 in the space of 35 odd minutes. 

The league winners took the challenge head-on and came mightily close to script what arguably would have been the biggest comeback in the ISL history. 

It was not to be though, as time fizzled out. But the night certainly did teach all of us some lessons. Here are 5 things we learnt from the game:

#1 This is one fabulous team

Hamstrung by the absence of 3 key players in the first leg of the semi-final, the Gaurs went down 4-1 at the Marina Arena. That, however, never dimmed any belief within the FC Goa ranks about their ability. 

Buoyed by the return of all three of those players and a rapturous partisan home crowd, FC Goa stormed back into the game with 2 goals in the opening 21 minutes of the game. 

Even after conceding 2 goals at the beginning of the second half, the spirits remained high. The home side’s insatiable appetite for goals kept them in the game and the nearly pulled off the feat with 2 strikes late into the game but fell short by 2.  

#2 Mourtada Fall is a beast 

Is there any other way to put his monstrous performance on Saturday night? The man from Senegal was effective on both sides of the pitch and was arguably Goa’s biggest source of inspiration throughout the 90 minutes. 

The star defender scored his first of the night in the 21st minute when he rose highest to meet Brandon Fernandes’ perfectly placed free-kick. 

The centre-back moved into a forward role in the last 30 minutes of the game with the Gaurs chasing 4 goals in the space of the last half an hour. His presence in the opposition box made for chances galore for the home side with Fall, himself grabbing his second of the game in the 82nd minute. 

A man for the big occasions, this was his second brace at the semi-final stage – after bagging one in the 5-1 semi-final win against Mumbai City last season. This also took his tally of goals to 6 for the season – just behind Coro and Hugo Boumous on that table.

#3 Chennaiyin makes the most of their chances

You have to give it up to Chennaiyin. A team rooted near the bottom of the table at the half-way mark of the season, the Blues have had an incredible turnaround in fortune in recent times. 

They finally capped it all off on Saturday night by booking their ticket for the final. 

Throughout the two games, one thing that stood out was their ability to make the most of any opportunity in the opposition’s penalty box. They were meticulous in both legs and that helped them get through to the final for the third time in their history. 

#4 Boumous, the Lionheart

Arguably, no one might encapsulate the spirit of FC Goa more than Hugo Boumous. The Frenchman’s spirit of adventure on the field and his attempt at the extraordinary embodies what the Gaurs are all about. 

What he also brings to the table is his indomitable grit. After being sidelined with an injury in the first leg, the 24-year-old raced against time to regain fitness for the second half of the contest.

While his game didn’t last even 30 minutes, he had a huge impact on the proceedings. In doing so, the midfielder showed another aspect of the FC Goa fabric that he embodies – the ability to give oneself up for the greater cause and for the people around one. 

#5 FC Goa fans are as good as it gets

The semi-finals are as big as it gets and when the occasion dawned on them, the FC Goa fans didn’t disappoint. The club is blessed with a fanbase that lives and breathes football and it was on show on Saturday night. 

A big reason that the Gaurs were able to mount a fightback was that the fans had their back. A sold-out stadium saw the FC Goa faithful get behind them and gee them on. 

Even when the going got tough, they remained in their seats and the stadium became the loudest when the Gaurs dared to do the improbable – scoring 2 late goals to remain within touching distance of a truly incredible fightback. 

The faith of the fans has helped FC Goa carve out so many historic nights at the Fatorda and with them besides the team, there many more glorious lines to write.