Jamshedpur FC picked up their second victory in Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18 when they pipped fellow debutants Bengaluru FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday. Trindade Goncalves sealed all three points for the visitors by scoring a last-gasp penalty as Jamshedpur also picked up their fifth clean sheet of the season. Speaking to the media during the post-match press conference after a 1-0 win was their head coach Steve Coppell.

He began by expressing his joy and highlighting the factors that helped his team secure a win. “To come here and win the game, obviously we are very happy with that,” he gushed. “We tried to play contrary to their strengths, and we worked very hard on that. I think we did okay. They had some opportunities in the second half, but we looked a bit more threatening. I’m happy with the three points.”

The Englishman admitted that although Bengaluru had the better chances, it all came down to converting the opportunities, where Jamshedpur triumphed. “I would say the game is based on fine margins,” he said. “They did have better chances though they have to be converted. You can say for a certain period we rode our luck. All in all, we had a good chance on the other end with Jerry (Mawhmingthanga), and then we got the penalty. We played full part in the game. It was always going to be a close match. So, I’m delighted that we got the edge.”

Coppell also provided an update on why Mehtab Hossain was substituted in the first half. “We do a lot of travelling,” he stated. “He has had bad back for three days now. And it was obvious from the first 15 minutes that he wasn’t moving properly. So we had to make that change. We lost a little bit in one way, but we gained in another.”

Jamshedpur FC have now kept five clean sheets in the campaign so far, and before concluding, Coppell lauded his team as a whole for that achievement. “I don’t think you can credit one person, one thing,” he said. “I think it’s the constant attention to detail. We have a good spirit, we have to help each other along. Team spirit, attention to detail and commitment.”