Bengaluru FC registered their second win on the trot in Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2019-20, as they beat Kerala Blasters FC 1-0 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday. After a goalless first-half, a Sunil Chhetri goal early in the second-half secured all three points for the Blues against their southern rivals. The Blasters, however, had a fair few chances themselves and took the game to the home side.

Bengaluru head coach Carles Cuadrat, at the post-match press conference, revealed that his team went into the tie expecting a tough fight from Kerala. “We knew that they are a good opponent and they were going to give their best because they were with a lot of supporters, and also in a risky position in the table. So, it was nothing that we were not expecting. It’s normal.”

“The game is for 90 minutes and the way we play, we knew we were going to have chances to win the game. It was a football game with a lot of passion. When you score the first goal, normally in this kind of game, you get some advantage because the other team have to open up to try and draw the game,” he added.

The 51-year-old then warned his players that the coming matches will only get tougher. “All the teams are playing against the champions (us) and it’s a challenge for them. Every game is bringing to us really tough situations with a lot of intensity and a lot of fight from the other teams. So, we have to keep trying our best and it is going to be hard in every single game. It is going to be hard in every single game because it is a short league.”

With reference to a few mistakes made by his players when playing out from the back in the first-half, Cuadrat maintained, “When we normally do well, we read the moment of the game, to shoot it upfield or to not. But unfortunately, in the first half, there were these two mistakes when my players didn’t realise that they had pressure from Kerala. But we talked about it in half-time and it changed in the second half.”

Finally, the Blues boss shared his delight at having registered another clean sheet and said, “We have to be happy to have another clean sheet. The players are doing a very good tactical job. The guys who are working in defence are doing a great job, to keep the clean, to help each other. So, I’m very happy with the clean sheet and I hope it makes us strong in the season.”

Read the Match Report here.