Mumbai City FC displayed a spirited performance against a formidable FC Goa side to edge them 4-3 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa on Sunday, in what was one of the most entertaining matches in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18. Four different players starred for the Islanders as Everton Santos, Achille Emana, Thiago Santos and Balwant Singh stepped up with a goal each to stop the Gaurs’ march.

The visitor’s head coach painted a happy picture in the post-match press conference and shared what his team’s strategy was throughout the match. “We knew that we had to manage different rhythms during the 90 minutes. And I think, we did well. It doesn’t matter if they (Goa) won the first half. I told my players that we are still in the game, knowing that they will go on to try to score more and continue to play open. So, the game plan was to get an advantage and I am very happy that the players stuck with the plan. We won a very important game because they are a good team and it’s not easy to win here in Goa,” he stated.

There was a moment in the match when Goa equalised to take the scoreline to 3-3 with 12 minutes remaining on the clock. When asked about his mindset during that period, he revealed, “Because of the way they play, I knew that they would not be satisfied with a draw. So knowing that, like I said before, we continued to stick to our game plan, expecting that some chances will happen.”

The Costa Rican also reiterated that the win was highly crucial to their campaign prospects. “The win was very, very important. First of all, because we knew that we were going to play with a very good team, who had a number of combinations with which they would try to penetrate our defence. So this win puts us back in the fight and we now have the possibility to be in the top four. Of course, this is a huge push in terms of confidence for our players, as we return home on Thursday for the next match. I want our fans to come and pack the stadium because the players need them to push them forward,” he explained.

He further continued, “It feels very good because we beat them (Goa) twice, both at home and away. It was very important to have a win here as that would be an advantage. We won against an opponent, who is the one closest to us in the table. Now they have to come back as it is not easy to lose a game like this.”

Before leaving, the 58-year-old was asked if he believes the red card shown to Seriton Fernandes early in the second half, gave them an added advantage. “In the second half, we got a situation which allowed us to control the game better. As soon as we realised the situation post the red card, we made some modifications. We continued to have the possibilities to find them not well-positioned. My players took advantage of the situation,” he concluded.