ISL: Hyderabad FC hand one-year extension to goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani

Hyderabad: Indian Super League side Hyderabad FC handed a one-year extension to experienced goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani, the club announced on Friday. The Goa-born custodian has inked a fresh deal till the end of the 2021-22 season. “I have now spent two years with the club and I am really happy here. I know the club and the people involved pretty well and it was an easy decision for me to extend my time with Hyderabad FC,” Kattimani was quoted as saying in a media release. The experienced 31-year-old has been with Hyderabad FC since its inception and became the first choice under the bar for head coach Manolo Marquez during the last ISL season. “He is a very good keeper. He is not just good with his shot-stopping but is also very calm with his feet. He is confident playing out from the back and is a really good fit for our system,” said Manolo. With 59 ISL appearances to date, Kattimani was a crucial member of the Hyderabad FC squad that finished fifth in the league last season, and Manolo believes his experience will be key in the upcoming season. “We have a really young squad at HFC and we need players with experience like Kattimani. He is an excellent keeper, a great person and is happy to help youngsters out in the team and we are happy to retain his services for another season.” In the 2020-21 ISL season, Kattimani kept six clean sheets in 14 games, conceding less than a goal a game.