Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 22 : FC Goa (FCG) head coach Manolo Marquez acknowledged in the post-match press conference that his team was not at its best after they played a draw against Mohammedan Sporting Club (MSC) in the Indian Super League (ISL) in Kolkata.
Alexis Gomez opened the scoring for Mohammedan SC with a penalty, putting the home side in a strong position to secure three points at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan on Saturday. However, Armando Sadiku's late equaliser dashed those hopes, leaving the spoils shared.
Both teams earned their first points of the league season, but FC Goa may feel fortunate to have escaped with a draw, as Mohammedan SC created numerous chances and troubled them for much of the game.
Reflecting on the performance, Marquez expressed uncertainty about whether his team truly deserved the draw given their lacklustre display.
"We are not in a good moment, especially mentally. It's not a problem physically or technically because we know the kind of players that we have. But the team seems tired. Even in some moments, we don't know what to do. Maybe even I don't know, maybe I was wrong with the lineup and the substitutions. It's not about finding who is guilty. The positive thing is playing in this way. We got one point in injury time which I'm not sure we deserved," he said in the post-match press conference, as quoted by ISL official website.
Mohammedan SC secured their first points in the ISL after suffering a loss in their opening match against NorthEast United FC. Just as in that first game, they proved difficult for FC Goa to penetrate. The Black and White Brigade have only two goals across their two matches so far.
Sharing his thoughts about Mohammedan SC, Marquez said, "They played a good game, same like the other day. I think they are still (dealing) with this physical problem because the pre-season was short or maybe in a similar situation than Punjab FC in the beginning of last season. They are still adapting to the ISL, because two games and lost points in injury times in both games. It's tough, but I think that the supporters can be proud of this team because they played very well. They have a clear style with a lot of continuity in the players. It was a very difficult game for us. It's not only because we are in a bad moment, the credit goes to Mohammedan SC also."
Mohammedan SC brought off Alexis Gomez and Franca, both of whom were standout performers in their attack against FC Goa and were involved in the opening goal. Brazilian forward Franca, in particular, was a constant threat to the FC Goa defence, testing keeper Laxmikant Kattimani on multiple occasions and earning the penalty that led to Gomez's goal.
When asked if the substitutions of the duo made a difference in the final score, Marquez praised the entire Mohammedan SC squad.
"They have very good players. Not only these two foreigners, but they have very good Indian players too. The winger, left footer, Bikash (Sangolsem Singh) I like a lot. I think he is a very good player. Kasimov played a fantastic game. In my opinion he was the best player on the pitch. It was difficult to control them. Both (full-)backs are strong, fast. I think Mohammedan SC has a good team. The other day Juan Pedro Benali, the NorthEast United FC coach, more or less said that not too many teams will beat Mohammedan SC at home and I agree with him," the Spaniard said, as quoted by ISL official website.
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