FC Goa play their second match of Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18 against Mumbai City FC at the Mumbai Football Arena on Saturday. The Gaurs will be looking for their second win on the trot after playing some eye-catching football in their 3-2 victory over Chennaiyin FC in the previous encounter. Speaking to the media at the pre-match press conference was head coach, Sergio Lobera, who began by emphasising that the previous match was done and dusted, and he was focussed on the upcoming fixture.

It is true that we had a very good start in the last game, but as it is in football, living in the past will not get you anywhere,” Lobera said. “So, we want to ensure that we are focussed on the next game, and all of us are thinking about it.”

The Spanish head coach also revealed that Adrian Colunga hasn’t recovered in time from his injury to participate in the match. “The only concern we have is Colunga. Unfortunately, he failed to recover from his injury last week. But apart from him, the team remains the same as it was from last week,” he said.

On their approach against a defensively strong Mumbai side, Lobera maintained that they will stick to their winning formula. “When a team wants to perform, they have to stick to their own idea and methodology,” he explained. “Tomorrow when we come to play we are going to stick with the same idea and philosophy which we have been working on for the past three months.”

While Goa were strong in attack, they conceded two goals in the second half against Chennaiyin FC. Lobera, however, asserted that winning is all that really matters. “What is important is that when a team attacks, you automatically assume risks,” he went on to say. “Because when we take the lead, we will not just sit back and relax. And that is what happened to us in the last match as well. Even though we conceded two goals in the last match, we continued to create chances to extend our lead. Ultimately what matters is that we have three points on the board.”

The 40-year-old also stressed the need to entertain the fans while playing football. “The primary idea is to make sure the fans are entertained. Not just our fans, but all the fans in general,” he stated. “We want to bring the fans to the stadium, so that they find some sort of excitement in the way we play. Through these years, there have been some matches which have been very exciting, and we will work towards ensuring that our fans have all the happiness that we can possibly give them.”

Before wrapping up, Goa’s head coach lauded the league for its commitment towards making football more popular in the country. “I’m pleasantly surprised with the organisation of the league,” Lobera said. “I think it’s a very professional and well organised league. I’m also impressed with the quality of the teams. They are all equally balanced and I think that is good for the fans, because there is lot of excitement and opportunities.  There is no huge disparity between the teams. Off the field and on the field, everything that has been organised so far has been excellent, and I congratulate the league for organising it so well so far.”