Clifford Miranda: Princeton Rebello can be one of best in the country

The FC Goa assistant coach spoke on the back of his side's draw against SC East Bengal on Friday.

It was another tumultuous state of affairs between FC Goa and SC East Bengal. After a brilliant first half that saw them take the lead through Igor Angulo, FC Goa conceded in the 65th minute before having captain Edu Bedia sent off a minute later. Clifford Miranda and his men hung on and battled hard for what was their 6th draw of the campaign. The result still leaves Goa with breathing space, but tantalizingly close to the other playoffs challengers while East Bengal have a big mountain to climb into the top four in their debut season in the Indian Super League.

Tale of two halves

It was a tale of two halves as FC Goa dominated the opening proceedings while SC East Bengal closed out strongly. “We played with 10 men and suffered a lot. Yes, I would say we are happy with a draw. In the first half, however, the way we played, I think three points were there for the taking," quoted Clifford Miranda.

A penalty in the opening minute of the game would have been a vital moment if converted, but Anthony Pilkington failed to disturb the net. “I would say we worked really hard for this point. In the first half, we had more chances than them. I am not sure theirs was a penalty or not," added the assistant coach.

FC Goa had been relentless in the first half, but failed to carry the good football into the second period. “We pressed them really well, in the first half especially and we won a lot of balls. We were really good in the first half. But, it’s the norm of the game. Sometimes, the momentum switches towards the opponent and the same thing happened in the second half," he further claimed.

Igor Angulo's comeback

Igor Angulo’s 10th goal of the campaign was a refreshing sight. The striker had missed the starting XI for three games in a row before featuring against East Bengal. "It is always nice when anyone scores. Angulo has been a very important player for us, but then the rest of the team has also been helping him a lot," said Clifford Miranda.

Praise for Princeton Rebello

Princeton Rebello’s commanding display earned praise from his assistant coach. But, there is still room for improvement for the youngster. “Princeton is a really good player. He is evolving as a footballer. There are certain things he needs to improve further for his development. Possibly, he can be one of the best central midfielders in the country,” Clifford Miranda concluded.