Happy with how we played: Bengaluru FC's Gerard Zaragoza
Bengaluru FC head coach Gerard Zaragoza shared his thoughts after securing an important victory against Kerala Blasters FC.
Bengaluru FC head coach Gerard Zaragoza was delighted with his team's performance after securing a narrow victory against Kerala Blasters FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday.
It was a thrilling encounter right from the start, with both teams battling head-to-head for the crucial three points. Despite numerous opportunities for the Blues, particularly for Sunil Chhetri, the Bengaluru FC captain couldn't capitalise on the chances, preventing the hosts from scoring more goals.
In the end, Javi Hernandez's 89th-minute strike proved decisive as the Blues secured a 1-0 victory over the Blasters. Shivaldo Chingambam Singh's perfectly executed cutback found the Spaniard unmarked inside the box, and his precise wrong-footed shot hit the target, beating goalkeeper Karanjit Singh. With this triumph, Bengaluru FC extended their unbeaten streak against the Yellow Army at home.
Zaragoza expressed his satisfaction with his players' performances and conveyed his delight in securing three points against Ivan Vukomanovic’s Kerala Blasters FC.
“We are so happy because of the three points and what the supporters gave to us,” he said in the post-match press conference.
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Throughout the entire match, the Blues' defensive line, spearheaded by Aleksandar Jovanovic, stood tall, limiting the Blasters to just one shot on target for the entire evening. The Bengaluru FC head coach expressed satisfaction with his players' reactions during the game and commended their composure until the final whistle, securing a victory with a clean sheet.
“I’m so happy with how the team played the game, how brave we were, and how we dominated everything,” he shared.
“We could score more goals, but finally, we have three points. We have 12 days till the next match. We have time now to enjoy and prepare for the game against FC Goa,” he added.
Zaragoza emphasized the importance of securing three points at home. Notably, the Blues have suffered only one defeat at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium this season and have remained unbeaten on other occasions.
“The most important thing is that, here in Kanteerava, we lost only a single game, which came against Mumbai City FC. Since I’ve been here, we managed to get 13 points from 15 possible points,” he explained.
Following this victory, Bengaluru FC ascended to the sixth spot with 21 points in 18 games. Zaragoza expressed optimism about securing a place in the playoffs and is hopeful for a strong performance when they face FC Goa on March 14.
“We are in the race for the sixth spot. Now we need to compete outside because now we’re going to Goa, and we know how difficult it is to play in Goa,” he commented.
The head coach expressed immense satisfaction with how their supporters contributed to preserving their narrow one-goal lead and securing all three points on their home turf. However, Zaragoza urged his players to replicate this performance in the upcoming away fixtures.
“This is Kanteerava. It’s not easy to play in Kanteerava, especially in the last 10–15 minutes,” he opined.
“I want (my team) to be like this in every single match. If we want to play in the playoffs, we need to perform like this, firstly at home and also away,” he concluded.
