FATORDA: Conceding their second defeat against Mumbai City FC in the season 4, FC Goa coach Sergio Lobera said, “Football has been a little unjust with us, We have lost two games which we didn’t deserve to.”
FC Goa led 2-1 at the break but an early second half sending off of Seriton Fernandes turned the fortunes of the game.
“I think there was a big influence on the game. There were small details in the game where the things changed. Just as the second half began, we had an opportunity when Mandar was one on one, had he put it in, it would have been 3-1. Two minutes later, we end up down to ten men. This hurt us a lot,” explained Sergio.
“The most important thing is that we came back and equalised 3-3. We reached a point when it was 3-3 with 12 minutes remaining on the clock, we lacked a little bit of calm within our heads. We were 10 players but we wanted to win the game and couldn’t have allowed the spaces, but we did,” lamented Sergio.
Despite his side’s defeat, the Spaniard was happy with the team.
“I am very content with the attitude of the players. The only thing I’m unhappy is that we allowed the opponents to score in the first half against the team which came here to defend. We shouldn’t have let them score. I’m also unhappy for the fourth goal our team conceded, that left the calm within us,” added Lobera.
“When you score three goals at home and end up losing 3-4 it’s difficult to take it. It was a little different than the other games. Ten players, a penalty, there were moments in the game which changed the final results. But then there are aspects we need to improve upon. When you score three goals at home it is difficult to simulate the idea of losing.”
FC Goa next play NorthEast United FC, a team against whom they lost earlier.
“The next game which is coming up is also against the team we lost. We need to focus on our mistakes we made there and try and ensure we don’t repeat them and try to get the three points,” concluded Sergio.
Mumbai City FC coach Alexandre Guimaraes said, “Yeah. We know that we have to manage our rhythm in this kind of temperature through the 90 minutes. Though they won the first half, we knew that we were still in the game and knowing that they will try to score more and continue to play open, the game plan was to get advantage with that. I’m very happy that the players stuck to the plan and we finally won. It’s not easy to win here in Goa because of the way they play.”
“I knew that they won’t be satisfied with the goal (equaliser). Knowing that some chances would happen, we tried to hit on the counter,” added Guimaraes.
“The win was very important. We knew that we were going to play against a very good team with so many combinations to try to penetrate the opponent’s defence. The win puts us back in the fight to be in the top four. This is a huge push to our confidence for my players,” said the Mumbai gaffer.
