Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) [India], November 2 (ANI): Mohun Bagan Super Giant head coach Juan Ferrando commended his players’ hard work as they edged past Jamshedpur FC 3-2 in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on Wednesday.
The Mariners had to recover from an early setback as they conceded a goal just six minutes into the match. Armando Sadiku scored his first goal of the season in the 29th minute to level the playing field, and Liston Colaco gave MBSG the lead shortly after the second half began. Kiyan Nassiri added a third goal for their team.
In the 67th minute, Jamshedpur FC’s goalkeeper TP Rehenesh was sent off, making a comeback almost impossible for the Men of Steel. Steve Ambri scored from the spot in the 86th minute, providing JFC with a glimmer of hope, but the home team fell short in the end.
Mohun Bagan SG, currently among the three unbeaten teams in the league, is the only team to have won all their games this season. Ferrando expressed his satisfaction with his team’s condition after a challenging week.
“The last week was very difficult for some players because we had (players with) fever and some problems, but I am happy for them. When you have good result, I am thinking of supporters, I am thinking about the players. They (players) are working hard. I’m happy for them. But this is football; memories are not enough. We need to recover and continue working,” he stated in the post-match press conference as quoted by an ISL press release.
This was the first ISL game of the season where Mohun Bagan SG conceded first, and it resulted from a defensive lapse. However, the Mariners demonstrated resilience and found their way back into the match despite the setback. Reflecting on his team’s comeback, Ferrando expressed his pride in the way his players responded.
“It was one mistake for us (the first goal) because we did not completely control the space, and then we were confused for one moment. For me, the most important thing is when you concede one goal; it is about trying to find the solution. Why? And the second is the reaction. Sometimes in football, there exists one action, but the most important is the reaction. The team continued to work in the same line; we changed some details. In the end, it is good,” Ferrando said.
Mohun Bagan SG made three changes to their starting eleven from their victory over Chennaiyin FC, with Armando Sadiku, Hector Yuste, and Glan Martins all getting a start. Addressing the absence of crucial players like Anwar Ali, Jason Cummings, and Hugo Boumous, he said, “It is unnecessary to talk about the missing players. Of course, I miss the players, but when I see injuries because I love my players, I love my squad.”
“But all the time, it has been the same for me. The most important thing is the next player and the support (to give them), and then another player. This is the reason why training sessions exist because then everybody needs to work. At the end of last season, for nine months, you’ll have time to give opportunities to everybody,” the Spaniard further explained.
Ferrando concluded the news conference by sharing a message for the fans. He stated, “We are working in the same way. We continue working because at the moment we are not thinking about anything, not thinking about trophies, but only getting three points. The most important thing is the next week for us.” (ANI)
