He helped the U-14 team finish second in the 2015/16 GFA U-14 league. He was later promoted to the U-16 set up (in 2017/18). He also helped the U-15 team qualify for the second round of last season’s U-15 I-League.

Derrick Pereira (Director of Football, FC Goa) waxed eloquent about the boy’s talent: “We have high hopes with Leewan. He has been a shining example of what we are trying to build at the grassroots level at FC Goa. He is one of the brightest prospects we have in our ranks. Leewas has been with us since the beginning of our youth program and has showed real promise. He possesses good technique and we all admire the fact that he is not afraid to express himself when on the ball. That is something we all try and encourage in our youngsters. Above all, he has great character and is a real team player. He has played across the front-line, in midfield and even in defence when the team requires him to.”

Gavin Araujo (youth coach, FC Goa) also replied in the affirmative: “He has time and again shown maturity beyond his years and this really doesn’t take us by surprise. He has been playing in the U-16’s for us even though he is still eligible for the U-14’s. He joined us in 2015 when our youth program kicked off and has progressed up the ranks ever since. He is hard-working and diligent. He has made us proud and we are confident that he will confident to do so in the days.”

FC Goa is a professional football club that plays in the Indian Super League (ISL). It is co-owned by Mr Jaydev Mody, Mr Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, Mr Ashish Kapadia, Mr Akshay Tandon and Mr Virat Kohli. Mandar Rao Desai, Princeton Rebello and Manvir Singh (who have played for the senior India team) are the notable names to have emerged from the club’s stables. It has reached the semifinals of the ISL twice and appeared in the final in 2015. It is currently the highest scoring team in ISL history.

FC GOA MEDIA

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It took 17 minutes for the game’s first real attempt and it came from Mumbai FC’s Prince Anandraj who struck a brilliant half volley which sailed inches over the PIFA Colaba crossbar.

Mumbai FC were seeing more of the ball without troubling PIFA’s Manish Shetty in goal. Mumbai came close in the 29th minute through Prince Anandraj again but this time his effort, resulting from a loose clearance, was less emphatic as his shot was well wide off the target.

Mumbai FC’s Girik Khosla was pulled back for a foul, as he battled past the PIFA defence in the 36th minute, but his run was too strong for the referee’s liking.

Manish Shetty, the PIFA shot stopper came out the worst in that challenge as he had to be substituted in the 41st minute by Yasheel Shah in goal.

The stoppage meant there were a chunk of stoppage time minutes, before the start of which PIFA Colaba nearly took a surprise lead the Mumbai FC defence made a mess of a cross from PIFA’s right flank as the ball rolled towards the empty goal. But Mumbai FC cleared in time, only for the clearance to be met by PIFA’s Pragnesh Solanki, whose effort struck the upright.

In the 4th minute of stoppage time, Girik Khosla found himself through on the PIFA goal but his goal bound attempt was brilliantly blocked by the retreating PIFA defender Shumil Shaikh.

The game was goalless as the referee blew for half time. Mumbai FC had failed to make their long spells of possession count. PIFA would have been relatively happy having reduced Mumbai FC to very few chances and being the closest of the two teams to open the scoring.

Mumbai FC had a low more swagger to their play in the second half, as they started in a similar fashion, holding the PIFA goal under siege. But this time they looked likelier to score than in the first half causing few moments of panic in the PIFA defensive third.

Mumbai FC were inches away from taking the lead when Mumbai FC’s Girik Khosla headed back from a long ball as the ball looped just wide of the goal. Mumbai FC had begun to ask a lot of questions at the PIFA rearguard who had the answers till then.

Eight minutes later, Yasheel Shah made a brilliant save to deny Prathamesh Rokade who had unleashed an effort on goal. The PIFA goalkeeper was called upon yet again from the resulting corner as he made another brilliant save from close range.

Mumbai FC are awarded a penalty in the 75th minute after a header seemed to have hot Deepak Mahindra’s hand. Prince Anandraj stepped up but his low effort was saved by substitute goalkeeper Yasheel Shah to deny Mumbai FC the lead.
Mumbai FC though were not to be kept out for long as Nachiket Palav’s attempted cross went straight in, in the 78th minute as Mumbai FC finally got their goal and a much deserved lead.

PIFA blew a good chance to equalize after a good piece of skill from Mohammed Atif had a two on two situation for PIFA Colaba, but Mohammed Atif over hit the cross and the chance fizzled out.
Mumbai FC almost doubled the advantage as Girik Khosla hit the upright from a header after meeting a cross from the right flank.

PIFA’s evening was pretty much up when Martin Assisi saw red after a second bookable offence. The referee confirmed Mumbai FC’s victory when he blew the final whistle.

Mumbai FC registered their first win of the competition and they had to work very hard against a very well organized PIFA Colaba side, but their perseverance was rewarded in the end as they walked away with all three points.

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DSK were brimming with confidence on the back of successive wins, which saw them take the pole position in the Maharshtra Qualifying zone. Mumbai FC on the other hand came into the game on the back of disappointing defeats at the hands of Kenkre FC and Pune FC in their opening couple of game.

The confidence levels were evident on the field, as DSK almost instantly took control of the game and dictating the play. Mumbai FC struggled to get a foothold in the game as the away side threatened the Mumbai FC goal a number of times in the opening twenty minutes.
But it was the hosts which took a surprise lead in the 25th minute when Mumbai FC’s Kartik fired in a super b volley to lift the spirits in Mumbai FC camp. It was a fantastic finish from the Mumbai FC front man which gave Mumbai FC the lead in a game where they had failed to establish themselves.

But the goal did not seem to deter DSK Shivajians as they re-grouped and pursued the equalizer with great vigor. But Mumbai FC held on, as they went into half time, a goal to the good. Despite being in the lead, Mumbai needed to lift their game if they were to hold on to the lead.

DSK Shivajians came storming out in the second half, but Mumbai FC did well to keep them out in the opening ten minutes after the interval. But just before, frustration could set in the visitors, they equalized through Patrick in the 57th minute to break the Mumbai FC resistance.

The equalizer knocked Mumbai FC completely on the back foot, as they were struggling to keep the scores on level terms. DSK’s ruthless game was rewarded as completed the comeback as they struck in the 60th minute, again through in form Patrick who converted from the spot kick.

The game was interrupted with a nasty brawl as the teams protested over the penalty. The referee did very well to control the game and did not spoil the game with a sending off and stuck to yellow.

Mumbai FC faced an uphill battle to come back into the game as they went from a goal up to a goal down in just three minutes. The visitors had the belief as well as the momentum as they sealed the victory with another goal in the 74th minute, this time through Lallianzuala who made it 3-1 in DSK’s favor.

There was no coming back from there for Mumbai FC as they suffered their third defeat in as many games in the Maharashtra Qualifying zone of the U-19 I-League.
Mumbai FC needs to start winning games, if they are to progress to the next stage of the competition. DSK Shivajians on the other hand, couldn’t have had it better as they look in menacing form in the U-19 I-League.

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